Name: Smoky hominy with chile-lime crunchies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6 as a side
Ingredients: 2 cans (25 ounces each), about 4 cups drained Canned white hominy, drained and rinsed; 1 tablespoon Reserved carnitas fat, or olive oil; 1/2 medium Yellow onion, finely diced; 2 cloves Garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon Tomato paste; 3/4 teaspoon Ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano; 1/2 teaspoon Mild ancho chile powder; 1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon Ground coriander; 1/4 teaspoon Onion powder; 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper; 1 cup, with juice Canned whole peeled tomatoes; 3/4 cup, plus more if needed Low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 teaspoon, optional Chicken bouillon paste; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 Small bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon Brown sugar; 2 teaspoons, then more to taste Apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon, then more to taste Fresh lime juice; To taste Kosher salt; About 1/2 cup, coarsely crushed Chile-lime rolled tortilla chips; 2 tablespoons, optional Crumbled cotija

A change from beans

Hominy was a fun change for Taco Tuesday. Those big, plump corn kernels hold onto the sauce, and the kids loved it. We didn't have bacon, so I used some of the fat saved from the carnitas. It brought that pork flavor right into the base.

The finish made a big difference. This needed another dose of apple cider vinegar and fresh lime, then salt to taste. Don't skip that last taste before it hits the plate.

I used the chile-lime rolled tortilla chips from Trader Joe's for the crunchies. A food processor makes quick work of them. A bag and a rolling pin work just fine too. Sprinkle them on right before serving.

Instructions

Heat the pork fat or oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until soft with golden edges. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring so it browns without burning. Add the cumin, oregano, ancho, paprika, coriander, onion powder and pepper for the final 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and scrape up the browned paste. Blend the base until mostly smooth with an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged. For a countertop blender, let the mixture cool slightly and follow its hot-liquid instructions, then return it to the pot.
Add the broth, optional bouillon, Worcestershire and bay leaf. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Fold in the drained hominy. The kernels should be coated in sauce, not submerged in soup.
Simmer gently for about 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the hominy is hot and tender and the sauce clings to it. Add a splash of broth if it gets dry. If there is a thin puddle underneath, simmer uncovered a little longer.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Taste. Add more vinegar or lime a little at a time until the flavors wake up, then salt to taste. The acidic finish is part of the recipe, not just a garnish.
Crush the rolled chips in a food processor, or seal them in a sturdy bag and break them up with a rolling pin. Keep some small crunchy pieces. Sprinkle over the hominy just before eating, with cotija if using.

Smoky hominy with chile-lime crunchies

A change from beans

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