Hot and Spicy Shrimp Posole with Tomatillos
The best American name for this vegetable would probably be “Mexican green tomato”, but they actually taste nothing like regular tomatoes, In fact, the tomatillo is not a tomato at all. The tomatillo has a tart, lemony flavor that is enhance when cooked (especially roasted) and is an excellent base for salsas. While salsa (salsa verde) is the most popular way to enjoy tomatillo, they can be used in other ways. Tomatillos contain high amounts of vitamin A&C. Tomatillos are our #2 sales item!
Ingredients:
1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Salt
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, stemmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
One 28-oz can white hominy, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 small avocado, coarsely chopped
1 fresh lime
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, cover the tomatillos with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the tomatillos soften, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the chipotles and puree until smooth.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tomatillo puree, the hominy and chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the corn and shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls, garnish with the chopped cilantro and avocado and the lime slices and serve.
Serves 4.
Recipe by Nell Newman, foodandwine.com.