Carne Adovada Tostadas

Five days and counting until my husband and I land in New Mexico. We plan to spend time in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Chimayo, Abiquiu, and maybe hit Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest and most unique mineral springs in North America. Ah, New Mexico! I think those of you who have spent time there know what I mean…

I’ve compiled a list of restaurants to indulge at in both the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas, and though the list is much longer than feasible, I know we’ll have fun deciding where to dine. Our top choices will lean toward authentic New Mexican, I’m sure. Bring on those red and green chiles! Mmmm. I can smell and taste them now.

I haven’t been able to wait, either. For the past several weeks, I’ve been cooking with one foot, and my heart, in New Mexico. The last dish I made—Carne Adovada Tostadas—was a keeper. I try to pick recipes I think most people can purchase ingredients for, have the equipment to prepare the recipe in, and not spend all day in the kitchen preparing. This recipe stretches the boundaries a bit because it does take time to make (though most of the time is “hands off”), but the results, I think you will find, are worth it.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs pork, cubed
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 package corn tortillas
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, finely chopped
12 oz. hominy
cumin
oregano
salt and pepper
fresh sliced jalapenos (optional)

Red Chile Sauce ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup New Mexican red Chile Powder, to taste
2 tsp. honey or brown sugar
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cube the pork, season it with salt and pepper, and brown it in batches in the canola oil. It’s important not to crowd the pan, otherwise the pork will not brown evenly. Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Add diced onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and golden. Add about ½ cup of the chicken broth to loosen any browned bits. Let cool.

In a blender, place the coriander, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, red chile powder, honey or brown sugar, red wine vinegar, 1 cup chicken broth, and the onion/garlic mixture. Process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth. (The consistency should be in between a tomato paste and tomato sauce.)

In an oven proof dish, combine the red chile sauce with the pork. Cover the dish and bake for 2-3 hours until the pork is tender. Occasionally add chicken broth to the sauce so it doesn’t thicken and burn.

Shortly before the pork is finished, dice the carrot and zucchini. Sauté the vegetables, along with the hominy, until just tender, with a dash of salt, about ½ tsp. cumin, and a sprinkling of oregano.

To make the tostada shells, bake the corn tortillas in a single layer in a 350 degree oven. They will take about 3-5 minutes per side.

To assemble, top the baked corn tortillas with a layer of carne adovada. Top with the hominy mixture, and add sliced jalapenos, if desired.