Mexican soup interpreted for summer: posole salad

Posole salad, June 2013

When my first CSA (community-supported agriculture) delivery included radishes and oregano, I thought of posole. Traditional posole is a thick Mexican soup with pork, hominy, garlic, and chilies, but years ago friends served us their version that had chicken, radishes, hominy and oregano. We loved the fresh ingredients and surprising flavor combinations.

For a summer meal, I took the interpretation a little further—from soup to main-dish salad. This salad can be adapted to dietary restrictions by leaving out or serving on the side any ingredients not desired or tolerated.

Posole Salad

5.0 from 2 reviews

Recipe type: Salad

Author: Eileen Beran

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Poached Chicken:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 bay leaf

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette:

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, large stems removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad Greens:

3 cups cabbage, finely shredded (about 1/4 small cabbage)
4 cups salad greens of choice (about 5 ounces), chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves

Salad Toppings:

1 14.5-ounce can white hominy, drained
3/4 cup sliced radishes (cut in half or quarters top-to-bottom, then slice)
1 avocado, cubed
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 lime, quartered

Instructions

Poach the chicken:

Place the chicken breasts in a heavy-bottomed pan so that they fit snugly in a single layer. Add water to cover plus about 2 inches. Add salt, bay leaf ,and dried oregano.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to barely a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow chicken to remain in water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan and cut into cubes.

Make the vinaigrette:

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or small food processor.
Process until emulsified and only flecks of cilantro remain.

Prepare the greens:

In a large salad bowl, place shredded cabbage, salad greens, and oregano leaves.
Add about two-thirds of the vinaigrette, reserving the rest to drizzle over the top.
Toss to coat.

Assemble the salad:

Use the large salad bowl with the dressed greens, or place the dressed greens in individual bowls. Sprinkle with chicken, hominy, radishes, avocado, cheese, and jalapeno pepper.
Drizzle with the reserved dressing and serve with lime slices.

Calories: 578; Fat: 32g; Saturated fat: 8g: Carbohydrates: 29g; Sugar: 5g; Sodium: 572mg; Fiber: 11g; Protein: 41g; Cholesterol: 114mg.

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spiced curiosity | spicy roasted poblano & corn soup – vegan says:

21 June, 2013 at 6:03 pm

[…] recommend pairing this with plantain chips, and a fresh, crunchy salad like Eileen’s recipe. She deconstructed the popular Mexican Posole, creating a tasty-sounding dish. (I’m a sucker […]