Rania's Recipes: Pork Posole & Corn Bread

If you feel like adding a little spice to your meals, be sure to try out these two Mexican-themed dishes from Rania Harris today!

Pork Posole with Green Chilies

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder
• 2 tablespoons peeled, chopped garlic
• 1 - 15 ounce can chopped green chilies
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
• 1 - 28 ounce can golden or white hominy
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes:

• ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• Sour cream

Directions:

Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat.

Season the pork cubes with salt and pepper. Add to the pot and sauté in until well-browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork cubes to a bowl and set aside.

Add the onions, red pepper and jalapeño to the pot and brown until golden, which takes approximately seven minutes.

When the onion begins to caramelize, return the pork cubes to the pot, sprinkle with the cumin and Ancho chili powder, stir in the garlic, green chilies and tomatoes.

Add the chicken broth plus 2 cups of water, stir and bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower then heat and let the Posole simmer, partially covered, for one hour.

Add the hominy. Continue to cook until the pork is tender, which takes approximately 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve with cilantro, scallions and sour cream as a topping.

Serves: 8

Corn Bread with Basil, Roasted Peppers and Jack Cheese

• 1 stick chilled, unsalted butter - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1¾ cups yellow cornmeal
• 1¼ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups grated Monterey jack cheese
• 1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
• ½ cup drained chopped roasted red peppers (from a jar)
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9x9x2-inch baking pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Mix cornmeal and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add 7 tablespoons butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk in buttermilk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir until blended. Mix in cheese, corn, red peppers and basil along with sautéed onion. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake cornbread until golden and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan on rack.

Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature. If desired, reheat in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Serves: 12