The Difference in a Day

Today was almost the opposite of the rest of the week.  Opposite in that I actually got to leave work at 5pm.  Opposite in that tonight it's Thatboy who wouldn't be home until late.  Not opposite in that there was last minute scrambling to get things done and out the door.

Friday evenings when I leave work is always a high point of my week.  Sometimes I have trouble turning off during the week.  There is a neverending pile of things to be done during the work week.  A balancing of what needs to be done and what I want to get done.  During the week, when I'm not at work, I'm often thinking about what I need to do the next day.

But Fridays?  Fridays I know that nothing is going to be asked of me for two whole days!  (Okay, that's not entirely true given that I've had to work every weekend this month, but in theory....)  And this weekend I don't have to work.  So I was looking forward to coming home, snuggling up with something cozy and a nice glass of red wine.

The wine had to wait until after I put Thatbaby to bed.  But the something comforting, that I could take care of right away.  As the weather cools, soups and stews, like warm woolly sweaters are the hallmarks of fall.  This pozole was the perfect way to end the week.  Just spicy enough to make your nose run, but still baby-friendly.  The flavors jump with a squeeze of lime, and are far more complex than your classic tortilla soup.

Pozole Rojo (From Gourmet as seen on Elly Says Opa)

1 large head garlic
10 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
4 pounds country-style pork ribs
2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
2 ounces dried New Mexico red chiles
1 .5 cups boiling-hot water
1/4 large white onion
2 tsp. salt
2 (30-ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
8 corn tortillas
cooking spray oil/canola oil

1. Peel garlic cloves, reserving 2 for chile sauce and slicing the remaining garlic.  
2. In a 7- to 8-quart heavy pot/Dutch oven, bring water and broth just to a boil with sliced garlic and pork. Skim surface and add oregano. Gently simmer pork, uncovered, until tender, about 1.5 hours.
3. While pork is simmering, discard stems from chiles and in a bowl combine chiles with boiling-hot water. Soak chiles, turning them occasionally, 30 minutes.
4. Cut onion into large pieces and in a blender purée with chiles and soaking liquid, reserved garlic, and 1.5 tsp. salt until smooth.
5. Transfer pork with tongs to a cutting board and reserve broth mixture. Shred pork, using 2 forks, and discard bones.  
6. Return pork to broth mixture and add chile sauce, hominy, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Simmer pozole 30 minutes and, if necessary, season with salt. 
7. While pozole is simmering, preheat the oven to 425 and cut the tortillas into thin strips.  Brush or spray the strips with oil and then bake until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.