A traditional Mexican dish - excellent for breakfast - some say it even cures hangovers.
INGREDIENTS:
All amounts are variable to account for individual taste and the size of the package of meat.
1 Package of "Panzas" - Beef Stomach
1 Package Dried Red Chiles
1 Large Can plus 1 Small Can of Posole - Homini - Drained
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped in large pieces
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Baking Soda (for cleaning the panzas)
Water
MEAT PREPARATION:
Cut the meat into pieces the size of postage stamps or a little larger.
This is easier if the panzas are still a bit frozen.
Wash thoroughly in a colander, then place them into a large bowl. Sprinkle a large
amount (at least 2 tablespoons) of Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda) onto the panzas
and cover with water. Stir well and allow to set covered in a refrigerator for a few
hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse well.
CHILE PREPARATION:
Break the stems off of the dried red chiles, slit along one side with a knife, and
discard the seeds.Place the chiles into a large saucepan and add water to almost cover the
chiles.
Place saucepan on medium heat until water boils, then let it boil about 30 to 45 minutes - until soft.
Dip the chiles out of the water and put them into a blender - enough to fill the blender about halfway.
Add fresh water to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Strain the chiles through a conical sieve
using the round wooden masher to press the juice out into a bowl. Continue blending batches until all the
chiles are blended and strained. Throw away all the water where you boiled the chiles.
You will only use part of this liquid in the menudo. (You can freeze what
remains, and when you want Enchiladas you can thaw it, add a couple of teaspoons of flour to a tablespoon of
oil in a skillet and fry it to make enchilada sauce.)
COOKING METHOD:
Place the panzas, the onion and the garlic into a ''menudo pot'' - a very large stock pot - and
cover them with water.
Boil on medium heat for about an hour to an hour and a half,
stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to keep it at a level above the panzas.
When the panzas are done, stir in the Posole (Hominy), about 4 or 5 cups of the Chile liquid (depending
how dark you want the broth), and the Oregano.
Boil for another
thirty minutes. Watch carefully to keep it from going dry - add water if necessary.
Remove from heat and serve in large soup bowls. We like to serve it with slices of key lime, slices of Muenster cheese and small toasted
split french loaves. Most restaurants also serve it with small bowls of chopped onion, chile sauce and extra dried Oregano for those
who want to adjust the flavors.
Enjoy!!!
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Some people omit the step of cleaning with baking soda, but my wife and I suggest you not skip this step. The soda
bleaches the meat and makes it much lighter and better tasting.
Never add the oregano until the last 30 minutes of cooking time as the oregano will tend to get bitter if cooked too
long.
I can't stress enough how important it is to try menudo made by different people so you can get a better idea how you
want to make it.
There are many great restaurants here in Van Horn, but our favorite Menudo is at Toni's Place on the
South side of town... if you ever pass through here, you really have to try it!.