Pasole – A Family Favorite

Pasole

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

One of my Mom’s friends grew up in Peru, where they make a delicious stew called Pasole.  This friend was kind enough to share the basic recipe, Mom shared it with us, & we’ve been making ever since!  Pasole is very simple to make, and it requires very few ingredients, including pork, hominy, pinto beans, garlic & cilantro.  Lime is served on the side & squeezed over each bowlful, for the perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean pork, cubed

1 can yellow hominy, undrained

1 can white hominy, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

3 or so cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

pepper to taste

1 bunch cilantro, rinsed

a little oil (to brown the pork)

1 onion, chopped (optional)

2 bay leaves (optional)

3 – 4 limes, cut into wedges

green onions, chopped (optional – to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the pork, brown & cook until cooked through.  If you are using onion, add at this time & cook until softened.  Add the cans of hominy, the pinto beans, & seasonings, then stir to mix with the pork, and bring to a simmer.  Set aside a small amount of the cilantro to use as a garnish, but place the rest of the bunch on top of the pasole, (you may also add the bay leaves – if you’re using them) at this time.   Continue to simmer with the cilantro bunch for about 15 minutes.  Remove the cilantro bunch (& the bay leaves) & discard.  Taste & adjust the seasonings as needed.   Serve hot with lime wedges on the side to be squeezed over the top of each individual bowl as desired.  Add a side of cornbread, and you’ve got a hearty meal that will warm you up on a chilly day!

Recipe Notes:

The original recipe didn’t call for bay leaves or onion, but I think both make a nice addition.  Mom said the original recipe had a very generous amount of pepper, making the stew quite dark in appearance. This wonderful dish practically flavors itself, but if you are one to like a little more seasoning, dried oregano & cumin would be nice additions.

This photo only shows the white hominy, as I didn’t have the yellow on hand.