We returned to San Francisco from Oaxaca, Mexico late Monday night expecting that my brother would have posted at least once, but it seems this poor site has gone unloved for the whole of our vacation. Well, here is the remedy: my favorite pozole recipe.

There is a little pozole restaurant in Oaxaca that used to sit right off the main zocalo, and when I first started making pozole, it was their recipe I tried to emulate. I’m pleased to say that we tried them again (now in a different location), and found mine to be superior. It’s not quite traditional, not least because it contains no meat, but it’s perfectly spicy and tangy and robust. The recipe is very flexible, and really, there’s not much you can do wrong, but I prefer to keep the soup simple so that I can load up on the garnishes. Chop the cheddar cheese and avocados in squares and drop them right into the soup — they’re wonderful when gently warmed.

In Mexico, pozole is traditionally served on Christmas Eve, when everyone waits up until midnight and greets the next day with fireworks and celebration, much like New Years Even in the United States. There are three common types; white, green, and red, and sometimes the different kinds are said to come from different regions. My version is probably closest to a white, but the broth actually comes out a bit red.

Once you’re familiar with the recipe, it’s easy to get creative: replace the dried chipotles with roasted pasillas or jalapeños; add canned stewed tomatoes or chipotle in adobo; add some roasted tomatillos pureed with a little of the stock; stir in a red or coloradito mole; and/or add shredded chicken or pork, or cubed smoked tofu — the possibilities are endless, and delicious!

Homemade Pozole

for the soup
1 1/2 cups dried hominy, soaked overnight
1 yellow onion, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbs olive oil
2-3 dried chipotle peppers
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water

for the garnish
1 large avocado, quartered and chopped
1 lime, sliced into wedges
1 cup sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup queso fresco, cut into cubes, or Oaxaca quesillo, shredded
cabbage, shredded
chopped cilantro, optional
toasted tortillas or tortilla chips

In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the chipotle peppers and spices and cook until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Add the soaked hominy and 1 cup of the water or stock. When the mixture has reached a boil, add 5 cups of the water or stock and cook, partially covered, until the corn begins to split and there is no hint of chalkiness, 2-3 hours. Add the remaining water or stock, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with the garnishes. Squeeze the lime liberally over everything. If there are leftovers, poach an egg or two in the reheating broth for a hearty breakfast.

Serves 4

Here it finally is – a write up, complete with links, photos, and recipes from the dinner party, nearly two weeks ago.  I’m hoping this will mark the beginning of a marvelously dedicated regime of regular posts!

It occurred to me, after I began shopping for the menu, that the dishes I’d selected for our recent dinner party might have some metaphoric resonance. Here I was, about to celebrate my 30th birthday, and somehow I found myself running around town at the end of November looking for tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, grapes. Attempting, it seemed, to hold on to the last of summer’s bounty.

I was lucky to find almost everything I needed down at the Ferry Building. The tomatoes weren’t the best of the season, but they were firm and fragrant, as was the rest of the produce. Will went down again when he got into town and grabbed me a lovely Himalayan truffle, which we shaved over the risotto.

Part of the reason for the Mediterranean focus was because I wanted to make the meal almost completely vegetarian. It’s the way we mostly eat at home, and rather than worrying about various dietary restrictions, I decided to keep things simple, plant based, and as local as possible.  I dare say, the meat eating folks didn’t miss a thing.

Autumn Menu for 15

• White gazpacho soup shots garnished with tomatillo and smoked paprika

• Baked stuffed tomatos with goat cheese fondue and breadcrumbs

• Lemon risotto with grilled prawns and shaved truffle

• Citrus salad with pomegranate, shaved fennel bulb, and frisee

• Eggplant torte with cannelloni beans, ratatouille, and Romesco sauce from the Millennium Cookbook

• Michele’s Famous Chocolate Cheesecake with candied orange peel

This is obviously an ambitions menu, but much of it can be made ahead. Disorganized as I am, I ended up preparing almost everything the day of, but I had plenty of help in the kitchen – don’t try such a feat alone! A few items, namely the gazpacho and the cheesecake, actually benefit from a little extra time in the fridge.

Lemon Risotto with Prawns

Lemon risotto is simple and classic. I borrowed the idea of garnishing it with prawns from Alfred Portale’s Twelve Seasons Cookbook (now out of print, I think). Truffles, though not strictly necessary, contrast nicely with the creamy tang of the rice.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts vegetable stock (chicken is also fine)
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lb arborio rice
• 3 tsp minced lemon zest
• 3 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs (chives and/or parsley)
• 15 large prawns or jumbo shrimp, in the shell
• Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• One fresh truffle (we used the less expensive, Himilayan truffle)

Method

For the risotto: Heat broth in a large saucepan and put aside, keeping warm over low heat. In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir 5-10 minutes with a wooden spoon until it begins to look milky white and opaque. Add the white wine, lemon zest, and thyme or rosemary if using and stir until the wine is nearly absorbed. Add about 1 cup of the warm stock and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add stock a cup at a time, making sure broth is nearly absorbed before adding more. Continue this process, stirring frequently, until rices is creamy and tender, but still firm, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with two prawn halves and a sprinkling of fresh truffle.

For the prawns: Preheat the broiler. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the prawns lengthwise through the shell and clean. Arrange them, cut side up, on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned.

Citrus Salad with Pomegranate, Shaved Fennel Bulb, and Frisee

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs seedless clementine or manderine oranges
• 1 ruby grapfruit
• 1 pomegranate, skin and white parts removed
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 heads frisee
• Olive oil
• Seasoned rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Orange juice
• Salt and pepper

Method

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and dress with 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar and 1 part orange juice. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of soy sauce.

Vegetable haters. They’re all around us. People who’ve had the misfortune of being raised on mushy, canned or frozen things like peas and carrots. People who’s idea of a salad involves nothing more than a pile of wilted iceberg lettuce with some Wish-bone dressing slopped on top. People who’ve never tasted a home grown tomato right off the vine. You know what I’m talking about.

I really can’t blame these people for being such haters. Frozen lima beans and over-steamed broccoli are worthy of hatred, I’ll be the first to admit it. Luckily most of these people are capable of recovery.

My wife is one such person, now undergoing intensive therapy. The following vegetable dish was responsible for a real breakthrough for her, and it’s so simple to prepare. She said, and I quote, “I never liked vegetables before I tried this dish”. If that’s not a good endorsement I don’t know what is.

I believe this dish is of Italian origin, but I was first introduced to it while living in the city of Mérida, Venezuela back in 2003. A couple of friends had invited me over to their home for lunch one Sunday, and I had no idea what a culinary treat I was in for. Señora Rojas, my friend’s dear mother, had prepared delicious homemade gnocchi with pesto sauce, minestrone soup, and this dish using “calabacines”(little squash in Spanish), also known as White Mexican squash, White or Grey zucchini, or Tatuma squash. It was a meal I will not soon forget, and have tried to replicate many times since.

Having only asked Señora Rojas what was in her recipe (in my best Spanish), and not how much of each thing there was, here is my best approximation of her calabacines dish:

Calabacines with Lemon, Mint, and Garlic:

Ingredients:

• 6 medium Calabacines (maybe 2 lbs), sliced about 3/4″ thick
• 1 Tbs. spearmint, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 large clove garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. butter
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Sea salt to taste (I used a heaping 1/4 tsp.)

Method:

1. Steam squash until just tender.
2. Add all ingredients to a warmed bowl starting with the squash and butter.
3. Mix gently to distribute the dressing evenly.

Notes:

1. Zucchini or any other summer squash can be substituted if necessary.
2. For a less soupy version olive oil OR butter could be used instead of BOTH, but I love the soupy broth at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Be careful not to overcook the squash or mix the ingredients too vigorously or you could end up with a mushy mess.
4. Follow this recipe the first time, then improvise to your own taste the next. Some people may like more or less garlic, mint, lemon, etc.