I have the feeling that in a previous life Lorna Sass and I had some kind of oddball vaudeville routine. From the minute I met her, I felt like our timing was in sync and I was reuniting with an old pal. She very well may have this effect on everyone but I'm choosing to believe I'm special!

Sass is mostly known for her seminal books on pressure cooking but lately she's really opened up my eyes to the world of interesting grains beyond wheat. Of course this includes lots of New World grains like quinoa and amaranth so I'm more than interested. Her latest book, Whole Grains Every Day Every Way, is a winner and includes the following recipe.

• 2 cups Rancho Gordo prepared hominy
• 1 pound pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican Oregano 
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 pork bone (optional)
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, membranes and seeds removed, finely minced, plus 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
• Whole trimmed radishes, for serving (optional)

 

1. Soak the hominy overnight in 12 cups (3 quarts) of water. Drain, reserving liquid.
2. Season the pork well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart pot over high heat. Brown the pork well in three to four batches (making sure not to crowd the pot), 2 to 3 minutes on each side. As you finish each batch, transfer it to a platter and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium high. If there is fat in the pan, spoon off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly for an additional minute.
4. Stir in 8 cups (2 quarts) of the hominy soaking liquid, the soaked hominy, oregano, bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the pork bone (if using). Over high heat, bring the mixture almost to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle and adobo sauce, and the browned pork, along with any juices accumulated on the platter. Set the cover slightly off center and continue simmering until the pork is fork-tender and the hominy is done (it will be chewy but the center should be soft and somewhat creamy), an additional 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Add more hominy soaking liquid or water if the mixture becomes too thick and threatens to stick to the bottom of the pot.
5. Remove the pork bone and bay leaves. Adjust the seasoning. Serve in large bowls. Garnish individual bowls with cilantro and serve a bowl of radishes for accompaniment.