SERVES 12 TO 15

Pozole is a stew made with various cuts of pork, chicken, and hominy, and served with an assortment of condiments. If you make it, either have a party of freeze it in containers. It becomes gelatinous when cold, and is similar to head cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 pig's head, washed well and cut with a butcher knife into 4 pieces
• 6 pig's feet
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves
• 2 large white onions, peeled and cut into quarters
  salt to taste

• 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into cubes
• 2 chickens, whole
• 2 6-pound cans of hominy, strained and washed

Garnishes:

• 3 lemons
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 cup red radishes, diced small
• 1/2 cup jalapeño chiles, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano

Instructions:

1. Place the cut-up pig's head, the pig's feet, garlic, onions, and salt in a large stockpot with 8 quarts of water, or enough water to cover the ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
3. Strain the stock and aollow to cool. Remove all the meat from the pig's head, discarding the skin and carcass.
4. Return the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the pork shoulder and the two chickens. Simmer for 1 more hour. Strain. Allow to cool.
5. Remove the meat from the chickens pieces adn the pork shoulder and the drained hominy. Bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt.
6. Serve in large soup bowls with an adequate amount of chicken, pork, and hominy in each bowl.

Serve with individual plates of garnishes. Place half a lemon in the center of each plate. Place a small amount (approximately 1 tablespoon) of each garnish around the lemon. Garnishes should be sprinkled into the pozole according to individual taste.

Note: Pozole is also a delicious blended. Blend the broth with the chicken, pork, and hominy for a thicker soup, adding a little cream or milk to make it lighter.