A canned good that sits on grocery shelves with neighbors like okra, black-eyed peas and collards, hominy sometimes collects a little dust.
But open a can, and discover the swollen, sweet kernels of prepared corn.
"The making of hominy is . . . we say it's an art," says Bill Allison
of the Allens canning company in Siloam Springs, Ark., one of the nation's few producers of canned hominy. In the South, hominy is heated and served as a vegetable accompaniment, sometimes with a bit of pork added for flavor. In the Southwest, it's called pozole, the key ingredient in a hearty soup that goes by the same name.
This streamlined version of pozole uses a can of hominy, as well as canned black beans and canned chicken stock. The addition of chicken, red onions, cabbage and lime juice gives the dish a lively freshness. While the soup is simmering, prepare the Quesadillas and the beautiful crimson sauce for the Sangria Sundaes.
This menu contains 746 calories per serving, with 16 percent of calories from fat.
*
In New Mexico and Arizona, pozole is usually made with pork broth and served at celebrations. For a quick weeknight meal, choose chicken and spice it with ground red chili and toasted oregano.
Pozole Pronto
Serves 4; makes 6 cups
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 red onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 1/2 cups defatted reduced-sodium chicken stock (2 14-ounce cans)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground red chili or chili powder
1 15-ounce can yellow or white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 3/4 -inch pieces
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 lime, cut into wedges
In a small dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast oregano until fragrant, about 30 to 40 seconds. Transfer to a saucer to cool.
Combine 1 teaspoon of the toasted oregano with 1/4 cup of the onions and set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the remaining onions with 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano and ground chili or chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Add hominy and the remaining 3 1/4 cups chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add black beans and chicken, return to a simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
1l Serve in bowls, garnished with shredded cabbage, the reserved onion-oregano mixture and a squeeze of lime juice.
Per serving: 330 calories, 29 g protein, 5 g fat, 43 g carbohydrate, 320 mg sodium, 51 mg cholesterol.
*
The rich flavor of the tortillas echoes the flavor of the hominy in the soup.
Quesadillas
Serves 4
6 corn tortillas
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (3 ounces)
1/4 cup prepared tomato salsa
Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and top with a third of the cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Cook until the bottom tortilla is lightly toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until the cheese has melted and the other tortilla is lightly colored, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and cheese. Cut the tortillas into quarters, top with a little salsa and serve.
Per serving: 185 calories, 9 g protein, 8 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 250 mg sodium, 19 mg cholesterol.
*
The sauce can be served while it is still warm from the pan or made ahead and served cold.
Sangria Sundaes
Serves 4
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 clementines or tangerines, peeled, segmented and halved
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 cups nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt
In a small saucepan, bring wine to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes. Add marmalade and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in clementines or tangerines and lime juice. Let cool slightly. At serving time, scoop frozen yogurt into 4 dessert dishes and spoon the sauce over the top.
Per serving: 231 calories, 3 g protein, 0 g fat, 49 g carbohydrate, 56 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.