Green Pezole
I will start this post out with a bit of history. Well the history of how this adventure for me came about. First off it is not a road trip or photo story but one of food. Pezole (Pozole (Nahuatl: pozolli [po’sol?i]), which means “foamy”; variant spellings: pozolé, pozolli,or more commonly in the U.S. – posole) to be exact.
Our close friends (Mike and Michelle) daughter married a nice guy originally from Mexico and through the years we have enjoyed invitations to many traditional celebrations. Our chosen family is definitely multicultural! I have learned to make lumpia, salsa, fish sauce, pineapple tacos, spaghetti sauces . … the list is long. The thing is no one ever shares a written recipe. I love this as I am not a recipe follower but a taster. When I cook it tends to be one of those open the fridge, see what is in there, and come up with something that sounds good types. It is a dash of this and a bit of that type thing. My maternal grandparents came from Kansas so I cook dishes that I watched them make. My paternal grandmother was raised on a farm in Oregon. Her cooking was basic standard fair using typical produce found on a farm. My mother is a recipe follower and a a good baker. I don’t bake much it is just not my “thing’ and KRP is a great baker.
This time of the year at every party or meal I have attended Pezole was served. I love pezole. I was craving Pezole the other night so I started calling around to find out how it was made. Well, for as many people as I asked I have a version of how to make Pezole. Michelle offered to have me come over after the New Year and we could make a pot together. I don’t wanna wait till then so I have decided to make my own version of red chicken pezole. An internet search produced so many variations it was mind boggling. I am going to combine what I remember from all the various versions and come up with my own version. This may or may not bode well for the end product.
One of the interesting things I did learn was the history behind Pezole. And yes, there are lots of version of this also out there! So this is my best interpretation of the history of pezole.
Pezole is a pre-Columbian soup made for special occasions. The stories all have a theme that is rather well yucky. When the priest’s showed up and discovered that one of the ingredients to this special soup was human flesh from sacrificial rituals. Once it was established that using human flesh was a no- no pork was substituted. One story version has it that pork was used because it tasted closest to the original ingredient . Ok I did say this was yucky right? Another one of the ingredients is Hominy. Corn prepared using the process of nixtamalization a big word for soaking corn in an alkali solution.
I am going to use chicken and ancho peppers in mine. I am leaving out the guajillo, pasilla because I have not clue as to the flavors the produce.
The first problem I encountered was my lack of a good stock pot – well any real stock pot for that matter. I could borrow my moms but yikes I looked up its cost and if I messed it up I would have to sell something to cover the replacement costs. A stock pot is not just a stock pot anymore LOL. I emptied my piggy bank and decided to purchase a new stock pot. Not just for the pezole as we did need a replacement for one that died a few years back and got tossed out. So here is a cell phone pic of my present to myself. I really should feel guilty for buying this but since my family and most of our friends decided on a present free Christmas this year . … and I am saving a whole tank of gas expense because we are on school break . … rationalization at its best:
Next I hope to get some photos of the process for now I will leave you with this made in America chicken the only fowl I eat:
Hi! When I first saw your post title I thought hmmmm, she’s cooking Stoner Soup? LOL! Pot…for Pezole. Not Pot and Pezole, or Pezole with Pot, LOL…
OOKay….
Ha ha ha – too funny!
I think it was Chinese writings that make first mention of pot. But it was was the same group that stopped the use of the sacrificial meat that are credited with introducing it into Mexico in the 16th century.
I think I would have to be way past stoned to get over my inhibitions . …
No guilt. Your stockpot will more than justify whatever you spent on it with years of yummy, budget-friendly meals – almost none of which need a recipe. Which reminds me; I wonder if Scarecrow remembered to get black-eyed peas for New Year’s? Whatever’s on the menu, have a happy!
Tradition! The pot will get plenty of use other than the pezole. I use my old cast iron dutch oven for beans etc. One of our traditions here is cheeze fondue.
I, too, wondered about the pot, but you put that thought to rest. We have a big kettle, but no stock pot, which is fine because we have no space to store one.
I agree that Foster Farms are much better than Southern grown chickens, and are the only ones I (used to) buy.
I was a recipe cooker. Did lousy by my own devises.
I have wanted an excuse to get a larger pot for a while. No place for it either space here is limited so I am just going to put it on top of the china cabinet. Foster farm chickens are the only chickens I can afford that are not shot full of stuff that makes me hyper. The only fowl I eat is chicken and turkey – no goose for me.
Now THAT”S a pot!!!!!!
yah it was almost full but now it is not hahah oink oink we did!
Ack! Well, I re-arranged my bookmarks and the blog reader went into a folder instead of its usual place on the menu bar. You can see how well that’s been working out for me!
Really, hominy (which I love) is alkalized or somethun-another soaked corn? For some reason I always thought it was a unique specific vegetable.
Beautiful stock pot. I’ve often bought quite cheap cookware and, well, you can tell. It’s crappy and usually needs to be replaced often. Enjoy!
I have finally sort of kind of figured out google reader. I just get in trouble every once in awhile now. Sorry to mess up thinking hominy was a unique veggie for you. I should have told you to go pick some of the hominy tree. 🙂
How about picking some chi chi beans. It is kind of a pain to get em off the branches but well worth it. Fry them up in olive oil with some slices garlic until the hulls turn dark brown with a tad of black. Sprinkle em with sea salt and then pop the been out of shell and into your mouth.
Save you the time of google chi chi or ceci beans are just garbanzo beans aka chic peas.