Conde Nast Crumbums, Hard Cider and Green Posole Soup with Chicken

Gourmet magazine is done-moment of silence- where’s my money for the remaining 8 issues? I came across this news yesterday, before the story was everywhere, on one of my favorite Twin Cities online magazines The Heavy Table. Check them out. Do it.

Recently Conde Nast decided which mag would have to go between Bon Appetit and Gourmet. Was it my kiss of death from the magazine round-up I wrote about a few weeks ago? Is it me or is it you Gourmet? Why did you have to go cherished magazine that started in 1941? I’m hungry, are you? Now my mind is back to: I want my money back. Oh how fickle I can turn when money is involved.

I hope Conde Nast doesn’t send me another magazine to “satisfy my taste” like they did when Domino went out. I don’t remember what publication replaced my subscription but it was shallow with a cover about dieting and celebrity bullshit. Domino had just about the complete opposite demographic, good one jerks! I remember a huge let down crumbums at Conde. Please don’t do that again.

I thought I would dedicate today’s recipe to Gourmet, as it was adapted from the magazine. Green posole soup with chicken, hominy, tomatillos and cilantro. I was surprised how delectable this was. I wasn’t sure how hominy and tomatillos would turn out together but I will never question that pairing again. There’s spicy, tangy and salty, then buttery from the hominy, rounded off with a nice cilantro flavor.

Green Posole Soup with Chicken
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1/3 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (I didn’t have any.)-optional
3 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (or can of chilies or your choice of pepper)
2 tsp salt
16 oz. of canned tomatillos or 1lb. fresh tomatillos (You can also use a jar of premade salsa verde)
3/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp oregano
4 cups chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, meat off and shredded or 1 lb. chicken
2 15 oz. cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
radishes to garnish-optional

If using pumpkin seeds, grind in a food processor and set aside. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic and jalapenos until soft. Puree the vegetables, salt, oregano, tomatillos (or my recipe for salsa verde) and cilantro in the food processor. Return the puree to the pot and continue to cook over medium heat, add chicken broth and (if using) raw chicken, add now (otherwise do not place rotisserie chicken in yet). Bring to a boil and then simmer. After chicken is cooked, remove and shred, then add the hominy (I pulsed it a few times in the processor to make it thicker before adding) and pumpkin seeds. Add back the shredded chicken to the pot or add the rotisserie shredded chicken at this time and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Garnish with radish if you wish.

* On another note, we tried a hard cider last night while watching the Vikings/Packers game- Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider. We liked this much more than any other hard cider out there; this was smooth and had just enough flavor, not too overpowering. We will have this again.