Extra Schmaltz!

Pozole is a hearty Mexican soup or stew that come in several different styles (with pork or chicken, red, white or green). This recipe can be made either as a pozole, using hominy, or as a white chicken chili, using cannellini beans (or heck, use both). The tomatillos are optional, but add a nice tartness and more color.  You will be surprised that all the green chiles don't make it very hot, so feel free to up the spice level if you like. This serves 6 hungry people.  This is the chicken chili style, which uses beans instead of hominy.   3 lbs bone-in chicken, skin removed 2 large red onions, one half reserved for garnish 3 jalapeño chiles, one reserved for garnish 3 anaheim chiles 2 poblano chiles 5-6 tomatillos, husked 7 garlic cloves, crushed 1 heaping Tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 cans white beans or hominy, rinsed and drained 1/2 bundle cilantro, chopped Salt and black pepper Oil or lard Garnishes : 3 limes, quartered (reserve juice of one)

Or "How to Make Brown Lentil Soup that Doesn't Taste Like Dirt". Here in Morocco, Melanie and I have had the problem that we can't find anything other than brown lentils - she's asked locals, and looked around pretty extensively, and hasn't been able to find the much tastier red variety. However, after a lot of travel, we were desperately craving something simple and vegetarian like lentil soup, and so I did my best to come up with a recipe that wasn't just edible, but delicious. Ingredients 1 smallish head cauliflower, cut into very small pieces 1 large carrot, cut into small pieces 1 medium onion, minced 4-7 cloves garlic, peeled but whole 2 Tbsp olive oil 1.5-2.5 c. brown lentils, picked over and cleaned if they're sketchy Water or broth sufficient for the quantity of lentils (I always just eyeball this) 2-3 bay leaves (depending on size and quality) 1/2 tsp cumin (optional) S&P Parsley (flat leaf is best), minced, 1-2 tsp per bowl of soup Lemon