Turkey pozole for the day after
Turkey leftovers nearly always transform into soup in our house. My father started the tradition by roasting the nearly picked-clean turkey bones before simmering them in a highly seasoned broth with chopped vegetables. Shreds of leftover turkey and crunchy croutons turned the humble beginnings into a satisfying, fullmeal soup.
All that goodness came to mind while enjoying an amazing bowl of red pozole at Pozoleria Tia Calla in Taxco, Mexico.
Cooks as earnest as my dad chop vegetables to simmer in chile-flavored broths. They add fluffy, chewy corn kernels to make the classic Mexican dish known as pozole.
These corn kernels (white or yellow) have undergone a centuries-old process called nixtamalization. That means a long soak in a calcium hydroxide solution to render field corn more digestible and cook-friendly. After the soak, traditional Mexican cooks spend time hand-peeling off the outer hulls of each kernel before they are simmered to tenderness in a rich broth.
Canned hominy is white corn that has undergone the same soaking and tenderizing transformation. It is super convenient, if not quite as richly corn-flavored as the hand-peeled versions.
Turkey broth, made from the neck and wing tips or the roasted carcass of the holiday bird, forms the base for this hearty soup/ stew. Boxed turkey or chicken broth certainly works here, too.
For the red chile, I am partial to soaking ancho chiles in hot water and then pureeing them smooth in a high-speed blender. Powdered ancho chile, found in small packages in the imported aisle of large supermarkets, certainly saves time and yields fine results.
Shred roasted turkey (or chicken or pork) into the finished soup when it is good and hot.
Then ladle into wide soup bowls.
Do take the time to assemble the traditional pozole garnishes: shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes and fresh lime wedges.
Crisp corn tostadas or tortilla chips, broken into the finished soup, add another lovely corn flavor to this bowl of goodness.