I have been going to the Big Sky Cafe in San Luis Obispo for a couple of years with a notebook, to try and suss out what is in this dish. It's goood. The chef just posted the recipe on his blog. Yay!

http://www.bigskycafe.com/

Vegetarian Pozole
by Chef/owner Charles Myers

2 cups white pozole (Hominy)
2 cups blue pozole (Hominy)
2 oz. baking soda
4 dried chilies (we use pasilla, ancho and guajillo any combination of chilies as long as there is a little variation for increased complexity)
4 tbsp. olive oil
3 cups diced onions
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. roasted, ground cumin seeds
1 tsp. roasted, ground coriander seeds
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and cut in quarters
1 gal. vegetable stock
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

Soak the different colors of pozole in seperate bowls of water overnight.

Roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over high heat until they toast —about 2 minutes. When cool grind in a food mill, mortar & pestal or clean coffee grinder.

Drain the pozole and put each in its own pot, generously cover with water. Add half of the baking soda to each, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Add more water as needed. Check pozole for tenderness —it does not have to be completely cooked as it will be cooked further in the stew. Drain off the cooking water and rinse the pozole.

While the pozole is cooking, soak the dried peppers in hot water. When soft, remove the seeds & stems and dice.

In a separate stock pot heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic with the salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin and corriander until the onions are translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomatillos, chilies, vegetable stock and cooked pozole. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for about 1-and-a-half hours. The pozole stew is done when the hominy is cooked through.

Add the lime juice, cilantro & final salt and pepper to taste. Pozole, like many stews, improves with age, so cook ahead and reheat. Freezes well.

Serving suggestions: garnish with queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Also for a delicious breakfast, serve vegetarian pozole over cornbread with a poached egg on top.


Yield: 10 – 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Tme: 8 – 10 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours

Ok, I finally had a chance to try this, and.....it came sout so close to the restaurant version! I am excited! Such a complex combination of flavors from such humble ingredients. And it was fun to make....