Beef Pozole (Hearty Beef Soup)

A hearty Mexican beef and hominy soup traditionally eaten at Christmas and special occasions.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil - divided use
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped white onion
5 jalapeño peppers, chopped
2 (14 to 14.5-ounce) cans ready-to-serve beef broth
1 (29-ounce) can hominy, drained
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 sprig fresh epazote* or 1 tablespoon dried epazote leaves, crushed (optional)
2 small zucchini, chopped (2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Optional Toppings: Lime wedges, chopped fresh cilantro, crisp tortilla strips, sliced onion, crumbled Mexican cheese (queso fresco, cotija or anejo), sour cream

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown 1/3 of beef; remove from stockpot. Repeat twice with remaining beef adding oil as needed. Remove beef from stockpot; season with salt.
2. Add onion and jalapeños to stockpot; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, hominy, tomatoes and epazote, if desired. Return beef to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours, or until beef is fork-tender.
3. Add zucchini and 1/4 cup cilantro; continue to simmer 5 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. If using fresh epazote, remove and discard stem and any large leaves.
4. Serve with toppings, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

*Epazote is a pungent herb common in Mexican cooking. It is available fresh or dried and can be found in Hispanic markets and occasionally in the produce section of large supermarkets or specialty stores.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe):Calories: 403; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 76mg; Total Carbs: 31g; Fiber: 7g; Protein: 32g; Sodium: 1308mg.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.