Spice It Up

The end of “soup month” is fast approaching.  We’ve taken pleasure in dining on soup so much this month.  The weather brought several polar-like days and those hot, steamy, comforting bowls of soup warmed us through and through.  I doubt that any bowl of flavorsome broth warmed us more than this spicy Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew.

The best thing about this bowl of mouth-watering goodness is that it is low-calorie.  Now, when I say, “mouth-watering”, I mean it makes your mouth water, your nose run and your eyes water.  This occurrence can be prevented based on the amount of chile powder used.  I threw in the full amount this go round as I knew my man Dan and I would be the only two eating it.  Had I been preparing it for Miss “T”, my mom or company I would cut back on the amount of spice.  If you’re suffering with a cold or stuffy nose you might want to use the full 2 tablespoons called for, as it will unclog your sinuses right away.

Another tip is; where the recipe calls for green bell pepper, which I used this time, I prefer and you can use canned green chiles.  I prefer the flavor they lend and in the future will only use green chiles.  Just remember to adjust the chile powder to your taste.  If you choose to use the entire 2 tablespoons here is my disclaimer; if your nose runs and your tongue tingles; I told you so!  I really like the smoky flavor that soaks into the tender pieces of pork and you’ve got to have a chunk of cornbread on the side for dipping in that zingy sauce surrounding the pork and hominy.

Enjoy!

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2 pieces
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped bell pepper (or 1-2 cans green chiles)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 28oz. can hominy, drained
1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside 1 1/2 tsp. spice mixture.  Add the pork to the remaining mixture in the bowl and toss to coat.

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large dutch-oven oven medium high heat.  Add pork mixture to the oven and cook for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.  Remove the pork from the pan; set aside.  Add remaining 1 tsp. oil to the pan.  Add onion, bell pepper (or green chiles), and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Return pork to pan.  Add reserved 1 1/2 tsp. spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes, with their juice , bring to a boil.  Partially cover and reduce heat, simmer for about 25 minutes.