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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Posole de Camarones {Shrimp and Hominy Stew}

Let me preface this by saying: I'm not complaining.  Just stating a truth.  Okay.  Here goes.  Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents house is very, VERY white bread.  Unchanging...predictable.  Shrimp from the ring piled into a glass serving bowl with a smaller bowl of cocktail sauce alongside.  A never-ending platter of sliced ham for filling the split Hawaiian rolls in the basket that sits next to it.  Trays of our favorite Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts...all sugary-hot from the oven.  Green fluffy "salad" that I still won't touch.  Veggie tray with a ranchy and or dilly dip.  Chips and potato salad.  (Imitation) Crab dip and crackers.  Plus bowls set around with  mixed nuts and addictive-ranch shaken-n-coated oyster crackers.  And a counter filled with sweets- cookies, bars, candies, M&M's (!?), and various other sweets.  You can set your clock by it.  Sure, a few different items pop into the mix from year to year...depending on what I bring.  Or my mom brings.  Or even my brother (if he's currently living somewhere with a decent kitchen) brings.  My favorite addition is Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip with tortilla chips for scooping or the cold-variety Spinach Dip in a hollowed-out round of bread with more bread cubes for dipping.  Otherwise...you know your choices.

So really, Christmas day brings an eclectic mix at our own house.  I can never decide what to have...as in, there's no set routine.  I love Christmas brunch: cinnamon rolls, eggs (in some form), hunks of cheese, oranges or other fruit, leftover ham slices thrown on the comal and browned up.  And bottomless mimosas.  But I also love to have another meal later on in the day that can be picked on.  We rarely do formal on Christmas.  This year we had Carnitas con Mole with stacks of  steaming tortillas along with our Ponche Navideño.  And we had a big pot of Posole de Camarones...the color of which just begs to be made on Christmas.  It's beautifully green broth flecked with hints of red from the chiles de arbol that accent the tangy lime sea salt.  

I like our yearly changes and unexpected menus.  I wonder if it's just because they foil "the expected" of the evening that proceeds it?  Perhaps.  Not that I want to change that tradition...I just like to shake-it-up.  Hope your holidays were...and still are...joyful!
Posole de Camarones
Shrimp and Hominy Stew
serves: 4-6

Herbed Salsa Verde:
1 c. baby spinach leaves (or arugula)
¼ bunch flat leaf parsley
leaves from 2 sprigs marjoram
zest of 1 orange
1 anchovy fillet
1 fat garlic clove, peeled
½ tsp. ground black pepper
big pinch sea salt
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Lime Sea Salt (yield ½ c.):
grated zest of 4 limes
8 chiles de arbol
2 Tbs. coarse sea salt
1 Tbs. ground roasted coriander seed

Posole:
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 c. chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 c. fish stock
4 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 Tbs. finely grated lime zest
1½ lbs. uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
3 c. cooked hominy

additional garnish (along with lime sea salt):
cilantro, chopped
white onion, chopped
jalepeños, sliced thinly
dried Mexican oregano
Herbed Salsa Verde:
Place everything in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, with a few chunks remaining.  Set aside.

Lime Sea Salt:
Mash all of the ingredients together in a molcajete or pulse in a spice grinder until combined.  Set aside.

Posole:
Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté until tender, ~5 minutes.  Add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.  Stir in the reserved Herbed Salsa Verde, fish stock, sundried tomatoes, and lime zest.  Simmer for ~5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high.  Add remaining oil and shrimp.  Cook until shrimp is lightly browned on both sides, ~3 minutes, turning once.  Add the reserved stock-salsa mixture and the hominy.  Simmer until seafood is just opaque in the center, another 3 minutes or so.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (remember that you'll be passing the lime sea salt as a garnish, so I'd err on the side of too little salt).

To serve:
Ladle into large, shallow bowls.  Garnish with chopped cilantro, onion, and sliced jalapeños.  Crumble some oregano over each bowl between your fingers.  Finish with a good sprinkling of the reserved Lime Sea Salt.  You could also add some thinly sliced radishes or some crispy tortilla strips.
I am sharing this post with:
TastyTuesdayBB hearthnsoul150 a little birdie told me rook no. 17 Souper_Sundays2 SundayNightSoupNight Cookbook Sundays at Couscous and Consciousness

Would you like to comment?

  1. Fabulous-looking soup!

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  2. Posole with shrimp- love this! Look forward to cooking up a beautiful bowl.

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  3. Velva-Tomatoes on the VineDecember 27, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    I can predict my parents table with a clock to it too- being predictable is part of their generation. Although, I  move along the same lines  of traditions my table is always open to new and inviting dishes. Your shrimp with hominy would be welcome at my table.  Awesome.

    Velva

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  4. I love every element of this soup.  I've already devised plans to use that herbed salsa verde on pasta. What glorious color!  

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  5. This really does look like a Winter's eve dish!  I know what you mean about Christmas Eve - it's the same at my parents place, but I always throw something into the mix too.  I'm trying to shake up the turkey dinners we have for Easter, Thanksgivine & Christmas too, but my mom is such a traditionalist.  It's a work in progress!

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  6. Oh, Heather! You are my new favorite blogger. I will be making this...maybe for New Year's Eve.

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  7. This looks great.  Thanks!

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  8. Ahhh. I made soup with mussels this week. We are smart people. Happy New Year. GREG

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  9. josé manuel martín fernándezDecember 27, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    Si que se ve rico, una delicia.

    Saludos

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  10. This looks amazing and very tempting!

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  11. Mmmm...mussels sound great right now. Happy New Year to you, too!

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  12. Yeah, the only time I get it "all my way" is when I do the meal at home.  I don't mind the tradition, but I do like to introduce the extended family to something new, ya know!?  Happy New Year, Jen =)

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  13. I'm lovng the looks of this soup! Happy New year, heather!

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  14. Christmas at my parents' place is also pretty white bread...until I started to cook!  I love the crazy green of this soup. It's so captivating, it's practically begging to be eaten!

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  15. This dish sounds and looks just awesome.  I can't wait to try it.  I love posole, just rarely make it.

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  16. It's always nice to shake it up a bit.  Love your soup.  Happy New Year!

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  17. Very Very white bread, lol.  I have to admit this year for thanksgiving I had my very first hawaiian roll, (my brother in law thought it very strange), hey I prefer corn tortillas, lol.  I love making pozole on new year's day and heather this one rocks!! my mom would love a heaping bowl of this with repollo!  Thanks!

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  18. I love that you take the opportunity to shake things up a little for your own Christmas celebrations, and this dish looks perfect for that.  Actually it looks perfect for any occasion.  I'm not a hugely "soupy" person, but I just love the idea of this one, and it definitely gets my bookmark for broths I need to try.

    Thanks so much for sharing this with Cookbook Sundays, and wishing you much joy in the New Year

    Sue xo

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  19. Ha ha ha this is so funny - your description of that White Bread Meal! LOL! I'd love to see photos... but YOUR meal? Yum! Love this shrimp and hominey posole! Fabulous! What a cook you are!

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  20. ha ha ha, thank you my friend...and Happy New Year to you!

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  21. The color of that soup is just stunning. I can just imagine how delicious it was. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays.
    ;-)

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  22. Just made a version of your posole for my family for New Year's Eve lunch. Love it. http://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2011/12/posole-de-camarones-shrimp-and-hominy.html

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  23. My mouth watered at your description of each and every meal, Heather! The posole really sounds incredible, and it was so cool to see that Camilla was inspired by your recipe and made some for her family (in the comment above).

    Happy New Year, my ever inspiring friend!
    Jenn

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  24. This soup sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop.

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  25. This soup more than makes up for the preditable CHristmas Eve dinner :) The herbed salsa verde in particular is making my mouth water! Thanks for sharing this with Sunday Night Soup Night, look forward to seeing you again soon!

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  26. I just tweeted this soup as one of my favorites from Sunday Night Soup Night! Thanks for linking up and hope to see you again soon :)

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  27. What a lovely soup heather. So much flavor and healthy ingredients. I look forward to giving this  a try.

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  28. Hi There,


     


    Just a note to let you know I shared your awesome soup
    recipe on my monthly recipe round-up.  If
    you get a chance, come on over and check out the other delightfully comforting soups.   


     


    http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2012/02/monthly-round-up-february-2012.html


     


    Slurp-Slurp!


     


    Be Well,


    --Amber 

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