Oaxacan Toasted Corn Stew with Chicken and Pork
Segueza NuevaThis recipe is adapted from a dish I learned at Susana Trilling's cooking school in Oaxaca. It is based on a Zapotec dried corn stew. The Zapotecs are one of the native groups in the state of Oaxaca that continue to practice their ancient traditions. Many of them are master weavers and are known for their fine rugs. In the past, they created impressive and important ceremonial centers that flourished for a period of about 400 years, from AD 350 to AD 750. These remarkable archeological sites can still be seen in the Valley of Oaxaca.For a different interpretation of the stew, I use fresh corn in place of dried. Hoja Santa leaves can be mail-ordered, or, if impossible to find, use fresh cilantro instead. The flavor will be different, but still very good. Serve with rice.
Equipment
- shallow bowls
Ingrediënten
Makes 8 servings
- 4 cups canned chicken broth
- 4 boneless country-style pork ribs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large white onion peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- 8 guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded, veins removed
- 2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped
- 4 tomatillos husks removed and rinsed
- 6 medium garlic cloves peeled
- 2 whole cloves
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 large ears yellow corn kernels cut off
- 2 hoja santa leaves or 2 sprigs epazote
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructies
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups chicken broth to a boil.
- Add the pork pieces.
- Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
- Add the chicken, onion, and oregano.
- Cook until the chicken is very tender, about 25 minutes.
- Set aside.
- Boil 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan.
- In a hot dry skillet, toast the chiles over medium heat, until they are aromatic and the skins blister.
- Put the chiles in the pan of boiling water, remove the pan from the heat and soak the chiles about 20 minutes to soften.
- Put the tomatoes into a blender jar and reserve.
- In a dry skillet, toast tomatillos, garlic, cloves, and peppercorns.
- Add to the blender jar.
- Place corn kernels in the same skillet, and toast, stirring constantly, until flecked with brown.
- Scrape the skillet bottom to incorporate the brown bits, and to prevent burning.
- Set aside off heat.
- Lift the onion from the broth and the chiles from the soaking liquid and put into the blender jar with the tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, cloves, and peppercorns.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl, pressing it to extract the purée.
- Discard seedy pulp.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the blended chile mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Put the chile mixture in the pan with the pork and chicken.
- Add the corn and the hoja santa (or epazote) to the pan.
- Cover and cook, stirring frequently, 10 to 12 minutes to blend flavors.
- Remove the hoja santa or epazote.
- Add salt.
- Serve the stew in shallow bowls, garnished with chopped cilantro.
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