WITH JOHN ASH IN THE KITCHEN
This chile and smoked-chicken chowder is a Mexican staple What’s the poblano?!
This is a hearty soup which could be the centerpiece of a meal. The flavor of the poblano chile is even better if you char and peel it first. If you do, add it in when you add the tomatillos. Poblanos are widely available all year round, especially in areas that have a Mexican population of any size. They are often mislabeled “pasilla,” which is not a fresh chile but a dried one. Cinnamon and other “sweet” spices are used often in Mexican cooking to add aroma and subtle complexity. Add just as you are serving the soup so that the aromatics can kick into gear.
Serves 6 to 8 4 cups sliced yellow onions 2 large stemmed and seeded fresh poblano chiles, sliced into thin strips 1 tablespoon finely slivered garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups husked and halved fresh tomatillos 1/2 teaspoon each whole fennel, cumin and coriander seeds 2 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican preferably) 2 cups diced and seeded fresh tomatoes or canned diced in juice 7 cups rich chicken, corn or vegetable stock 3/4 pound julienned smoked chicken 3/4 cup fresh cooked or canned and drained hominy (posole) Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon or so ground cinnamon 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves Garnish: Thinly sliced and fanned avocado and cilantro sprigs.
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, poblanos and garlic. Saute until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos, fennel, cumin, oregano, tomatoes and stock. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the smoked chicken and hominy. Simmer to heat through. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in cinnamon and chopped cilantro.
To serve: Ladle into warm soup bowls and garnish with the avocado slices and cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.
Wine recommendation: The chile heat and tartness of the tomatillos plays wonderfully off of fruity, lower-alcohol wines with good acidity and a bit of residual sugar like California riesling, gewürztraminer or chenin blanc. The “new” viogniers from California, which are typically made in a very ripe style, also work here.
October 2024
NorthBaybiz 65
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