Santa Fe stew - recipes

Santa Fe stew New Year's Eve in Bruce Johnson's Santa Fe home calls for pozole. This hearty stew of pork, chilies, and dry corn is popular throughout New Mexico; it's based on a feast-day dish of local Indians. Santa Fe pozole is festive on its own, and less complex than its Mexican counterpart.

Santa Fe desert supper

New Year Pozole

Flour Tortillas Green Salad

Bizchochitos

Hibiscus-flower Punch Beer

You can make the pozole, cookies, and punch at least a day in advance.

Look for dried hibiscus flowers, chilies, and pozole (dry corn--canned hominy is the easy alternative) in supermarkets or Mexican groceries. If pozole is moist-packed, it will be refrigerated or frozen.

New Year Pozole

3 cups dry pozole or 4-1/2 cups moist-pack pozole (also called nixtamal; thaw if frozen), rinsed well; or 2 cans (1 lb. 13 oz. each) hominy, drained About 3 quarts regular-strength chicken broth 2-1/2 pounds boned pork shoulder or butt (fat trimmed), cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks 1 medium-size onion, chopped 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 tablespoons ground dry New Mexico or California chilies, or chili powder 1/2 teaspoon each dry oregano leaves and pepper Roasted chilies (directions follow) or 1 can (7 oz.) diced green chilies Salt Sour cream and green onions (optional)

If using pozole (or nixtamal), fill a 5- to 6- quart pan about 2/3 full with water. Add pozole and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 5 minutes, then drain.

Add 8 cups broth to pozole. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until kernels are just tender to bite, about 2 hours. As needed, add water to keep kernels covered by 1/2 inch. (Omit these steps if you're using hominy.)

In another 5- to 6-quart pan, combine pork, onion, garlic, ground chilies, oregano, pepper, and 1 cup broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer rapidly on medium heat for 30 minutes. Uncover pan; stir often on medium-high heat until broth evaporates, meat is streaked with brown, and drippings are richly browned. Add 1 cup broth and stir drippings free. Add pozole and liquid (or hominy and 8 cups broth), and roasted chilies.

Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer gently until pork is very tender when pierced, about 1-1/2 hours. Measure pozole and add enough more broth to make a total of about 14 cups. If made ahead, cool, then cover and chill up to 3 days. Reheat until simmering. Ladle pozole into bowls. Add salt, sour cream, and green onions to taste. Makes about 3-1/2 quarts, 6 to 8 servings.

Per serving: 485 cal.; 24 g protein; 28 g fat; 33 g carbo.; 740 mg sodium; 79 mg chol.

Roasted chilies. Place 1 pound fresh poblano (also called pasilla) or Anaheim (California) chilies in a rimmed 10- by 15-inch pan. Broil 2 to 3 inches below heat until skins are charred, about 7 minutes. Turn chilies; broil until charred, about 4 minutes longer. Drape with foil and let cool. Pull off and discard skins, stems, and seeds; rinse chilies and chop.

Bizcochitos

2 tablespoons brandy or water 1-1/2 teaspoons anise seed 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter or margarine; or use half lard or solid shortening 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon baking powder About 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix brandy with anise. Cover and let stand at least 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy, then beat in egg and brandy mixture. Mix in baking powder and 3 cups flour. Cover and chill until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

On a floured board, roll half the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick (keep balance chilled; dough is hard to handle as it warms and softens). Cut shapes with floured cooky cutters. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on greased 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake 2 pans at a time in a 350[degrees] oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes; switch pan positions halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.

Serve cookies, or package airtight and hold up to 2 days; freeze to store longer. Makes about 7-1/2 dozen, 1-1/2-inch size.

Per cooky: 43 cal:; 0.5 g protein; 2.1 g fat; 5.4 g carbo.; 26 mg sodium; 7.9 mg chol.

Hibiscus-flower Punch

3 ounces (2-1/4 cups) dried hibiscus (jamaica) flowers 3-1/4 quarts water 1-1/4 cups sugar

In a 4- to 5-quart noncorrodible pan (stainless steel, porcelain-clad) over high heat, bring hibiscus, water, and sugar to a boil; stir often. Boil 2 minutes. Cover and chill 6 to 8 hours. Pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher; discard flowers. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 days. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Makes about 3 quarts, 6 to 8 servings.

Per cup: 126 cal.; 0.3 g protein; 0.3 g fat; 32 g carbo.; 0.6 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.