Creamy Tortilla Soup with Hominy

Hominy is criminally underrated and underused in the food world. Even in Mexican food I don't see it used often. What gives? It tastes like a corn tortilla and bean combined in one! It's perfect to bulk up soups and stews, tastes great in tacos and burritos and even makes a great salsa. The only drawback I've noticed is that I can only find it in 28oz cans which is sometimes just way too much. Thankfully this recipe calls for the whole can and none will go to waste.

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Creamy Tortilla Soup with Hominy
serves 4
2 tbl canola oil
1 medium red onion, small dice
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds removed, optional)
1 1/2 cup minced napa cabbage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-28oz can white hominy, drained and rinsed
10oz frozen yellow corn kernels
10 yellow corn tortilla chips (I highly recommend Juanita's brand)
1 tbl salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1-15oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 avocados, medium dice, for garnish
vegan sour cream, for garnish
tortilla chips, for garnish

In a large pot, saute the onion and jalapeno in oil until tender and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and garlic and cook until the cabbage has wilted, 5 minutes more. Add the hominy, corn, tortilla chips, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and oregano and stir to combine. Cook 3-5 minutes more. Add the pinto beans, tomato sauce, coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro, reserving a bit for garnish.
Serve in bowls with avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed "chorizo", Cilantro Mint Chimichurri & Hominy Salsa

Roasted sunflower and raw pumpkin seeds combined with onions, jalapeno, garlic and all the spices used for traditional chorizo preparation come together to make this fantastic, spicy filling perfect for avocados, tacos, burritos, tostadas or anything that Mexican-style chorizo might taste great on.

One Year Ago Today Tostadas with Walnut Meat and Chile Verde Sauce

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Three Years Ago Today Pineapple Ravioli with Marionberry Filling, Coconut Ganache and Macadamias

Sunflower seed chorizo stuffed inside ripe avocados with sour cream and my own take on chimichurri using mint and cilantro instead of parsley and oregano. Serve with this easy, thrown together hominy salsa and you have a full meal.

Stuffed Avocados with Sunflower Pumpkin Seed Chorizo
serves 4 or yields 2 cups
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno, seeded, roughly chopped
1 tbl cumin
1 tbl ancho chile powder
1 tbl paprika
1 tbl garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeded

2 ripe avocados, halved
vegan sour cream, for garnish

In a saute pan, cook the onion, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables start to become tender, 5 minutes. Add all of the spices and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a food processor.
Add the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and chipotle. Pulse many times until the mixture has broken down and clumps together but still has texture. Serve in avocado halves and top with sour cream and chimichurri.

Cilantro Mint Chimichurri
1/4 cup cilantro leaves plus stems
10 mint leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, to taste
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds until combined but still chunky, adding 1-3 tablespoons of water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

Hominy Salsa
1 cup white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 red chile, seeded, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 tbl cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl lime juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and enjoy.

Four Pepper Chili

It's getting slightly cooler in temperature in the evening as the sun goes down earlier and that means cooking big pots of soups, stews and chili are in my future. This chili takes advantage of Hatch chiles still in season along with all the traditional sidekicks, plus one of my favorite ingredients: hominy.

Kidney & pinto beans, white hominy, bell peppers, jalapeno and hatch chiles slow simmered in tomato and spices for a thick and hearty chili.

Four Pepper Chili
serves 4
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, small dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 hatch chile, medium dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 tbl chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
6 oz tomato paste
1-15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup white hominy, drained and rinsed
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided
vegan sour cream & salsa, for garnish

In a large stock pot, heat the oil and saute the onion, bell peppers, hatch, jalapeno and 2 tsp salt over high heat until the vegetables are slightly charred and soft, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, 1/2 tsp pepper, chili powder, ground coriander and cumin. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the beans, hominy, crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes. Add half of the cilantro
Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.
Garnish with the remaining cilantro, sour cream and salsa.