Pozole Verde de Pollo / Mexican Green Chicken Soup

Ingredients

For the soup

3 ounces pumpkin seeds (85g, 1/2 cup)

2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken leg quarters (1.2kg – about 3 leg quarters)

1 pound tomatillos (450g) – canned is fine

1 large white onion – roughly chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded, roughly chopped

1 pablano pepper, deseeded, roughly chopped

1 Anaheim pepper, deseeded, roughly chopped

6 cups home-mad low salt chicken stock (1 1/2 litres)

2 tablespoons dried oregano (Mexican if you have it)

2 sprigs epazote (optional)

This tastes similar to fennel or taragon

Salt

Handful of fresh coriander leaves and fine stemps

1 x 28 ounce (800g) can of white hominy, drained

To serve

Diced avocado

Diced radishes

Thinly sliced serrano or jalapeno peppers

Chopped fresh coriander leaves

Finely chopped white onion

Wedges of limes

Method

Heat pumpkin seeds in the base of a large dutch oven over med-high heat, stirring constantly, until they start to pop and smell nutty – 4 mins. Transfer pumpkin seeds to a bowl and set aside.

Add chicken, tomatillos, onions, peppers, chicken stock, oregano, epazote, and a large pinch of salt to the dutch oven. Bring to the boil over high heat then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken and vegetables are completely tender, about 40 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate and set aside. Discard epazote. Set a large fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the broth through it. Transfer solids to the jar of a blender. Add pumpkin seeds and coriander to the blender. Blend at high speed until smooth. Set aside.

Using a ladle, carefully skim off a few tablespoons of fat from the strained stock and add it to the dutch oven – its ok if some stock gets in. Heat over high heat, swirling and stirring until the watery stock completely evaporates and start to form a browned layer in the bottom of the pan – it will spaetter a bit. As soon as the chicken fat starts to smoke slightly, immediately pour in the contents of the blender all at once and cook, stirring, for about 15 seconds – it will spatter a lot! Immediately pour in strained chicken stock and fat and stir to combine. Bring to a bare simmer, stir in hominy, season to taste with salt, and keep warm.

By this stage, the chicken should be cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and bones (keep the skin to roast in the oven to a crisp that you can also sprinkle over the finished soup as a garnish!). Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces with your fingertips. Stir the picked chicken back into the soup.