One of the highlights from the Heirloom Bean Encuentro with Alta Baja last year was Chef Luis Pérez's vegetarian Gallina Pinta. We begged him for the recipe, and he delivered. Thank you, Chef!
Chef Pérez is the co-founder and longtime executive chef of Lola Gaspar, a Michelin Bib Gourmand–recognized restaurant in Santa Ana, as well as Chapter One (The Modern Local). He is currently working on some new restaurant projects—including LA Lola Tacos, a mesquite-grilled taco concept in Utah, and a breakfast concept in Santa Ana.
For the stew:
- 1 pound Rancho Gordo dried posole/prepared hominy, soaked overnight
- 1 ½ ounces assorted dried mushrooms
- ½ pound Rancho Gordo Mayocoba beans, or another mild heirloom bean
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 gallon water
- 2 ounces dried guajillo chiles, wiped clean
- 1 to 2 ounces dried árbol chiles, wiped clean, plus 1 árbol chile (for the herbal-chile salsa, below)
- Salt to taste
For the herbal-chile salsa:
- 4 to 5 tomatillos, husked and roasted
- 1 bunch cilantro
- ½ bunch epazote
- ½ bunch parsley
- ¼ of a white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 dried árbol chile, wiped clean
- 1 cup mushroom-soaking liquid
For serving:
- Chopped onions
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Limes
- Dried crushed chiltepín peppers
Makes 6 servings
1. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in 3 cups of boiling water; reserve the liquid and chop the mushrooms.
2. In a large pot, combine the hominy, beans, onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, 1 gallon of water, and 2 cups of the mushroom-soaking liquid. Bring to a hard boil over high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the hominy is chewy and tender but not chalky, about 2 hours. Hominy usually flowers, like popcorn, when finished.
3. Cut the chiles in half; discard the seeds and stems. In a small saucepan, warm 2 cups of water over medium-low heat; turn off the heat when the water is hot. Meanwhile, warm a dry comal or skillet over medium heat; toast the chiles quickly, taking care not to let the chiles burn. Soak the toasted chiles in the pan of warm water for 15 minutes. Strain.
4. Reserve one árbol chile for the salsa. In a blender, combine the remaining chiles with enough of the strained chile-soaking liquid to allow the blender blades to move. Blend well, scraping down the paste as needed.
5. Add the chile base and reserved chopped mushrooms to the pot; simmer for 45 to 60 minutes.
6. To make the herbal-chile salsa: in a blender, combine the reserved rehydrated árbol chile with the tomatillos, cilantro, epazote, parsley, onion, and garlic; add the remaining 1 cup of mushroom-soaking liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the salsa into the pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt.
7. Serve hot with onions, lime, cilantro, and chiltepín.