SAVORY WAY: Squash, Pepper, And Hominy Stew

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Squash, Pepper, And Hominy Stew

 

Recipe By : The Savory Way by Deborah Madison, page 122

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Soups And Stews Vegetables

Madison: Savory Way

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

29 ounces canned hominy

3/4 pound banana squash -- approximately

2 tablespoons light olive or safflower or peanut oil -- up to 3

1 medium onion

diced into 1/2-inch squares

1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

salt

1 large garlic clove -- finely chopped

2 tablespoons ground red chili

preferably New Mexican

1 tablespoon flour

3 1/2 cups water

1 green bell pepper

diced into 1/2-inch squares

1/2 cup or more sour cream or plain yogurt -- at room

temperature

chopped cilantro for garnish

 

Makes 4 servings

 

Hominy is corn that has been treated with slaked lime or ash. Its flavor

is unusual, nutty, and nice. While many people are familiar with hominy

grits, whole hominy is not that well known In the Southwest you can buy it

dried, usually called posole, and treat it as you would beans, but for most

people it's easier to find it canned in supermarkets or Hispanic markets.

 

The flavors in this stew are strong, simple, and sufficient. The chili is

warm and rich, the hominy nutty, and the squash sweet. Although no

garnishes are needed, if you find yourself making this dish often you can

easily vary it, adding tomatoes, using spices like cumin, cinnamon, and

clove, or garnishing it with cheese. You could also expand the vegetables

to include fresh corn and summer squash or even fresh shell beans.

 

Pure red chili, such as the New Mexican chili, has the richest flavor. Two

tablespoons of mild chili will make a fairly spicy dish, but the sour cream

will soften the heat considerably. So will using thick tortillas to mop up

the sauce. If you want something milder, use just half the amount of chili

powder with a tablespoon of sweet paprika.

 

I've suggested banana squash because it's so easy to work with, but any

winter squash will do. (You'll find banana squash in your market cut into

pieces weighing a pound or so and wrapped in plastic-whole, they are too

big for most people to handle.)

 

This takes little time to prepare, and it freezes well.

 

Drain the hominy, rinse it briefly, and set it aside. Peel the banana

squash, cut it into 1/2-inch strips, and cut each strip into pieces about

1/2 inch wide.

 

Warm the oil in a 12-inch skillet or cast-iron pot and add the onion,

squash, and oregano, then season lightly with salt. Cook over medium-high

heat for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ground chili, and flour, and

stir well to distribute the flour. Add the hominy and the water, lower the

heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add the green pepper and continue

to cook until the squash is completely tender and the pepper is cooked,

another 15 minutes or so. Taste for salt. Just before serving, stir in

the sour cream or yogurt and garnish with the cilantro.

 

 

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