Serves 4, or 2 to 3 really hungry hombres
Time: About 30 minutes
Gluten Free, Soy Free

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large poblano chile or green Cubanelle pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon red chile powder, such as ancho or guajíllo
1 (24-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice, or 2 pounds very juicy fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked
1 (15-ounce) can white cooked hominy, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked
1 cup Mexican light-colored beer or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
Freshly ground pepper

Optional Garnishes
Large tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips
Chopped fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced white radishes
Chopped fresh tomato
Finely diced fresh onion
Finely shredded white cabbage or a crunchy lettuce such as romaine
Slices of ripe avocado
Lime wedge

1. In a large pot, combine the oil and garlic over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the onion and poblano chile. Stir and cook until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, and chile powder and fry for another minute. Now add the diced tomatoes with juice, beans, hominy, beer, and salt. If using fresh tomatoes,
you may want to add more beer, water, or vegetable broth if the tomatoes alone dont provide enough liquid to create a stew. Stir, increase the heat, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and season with freshly ground pepper. Let the posole sit for about 10 minutes prior to serving, to cool slightly and allow the flavors to meld.

2. Ladle into large individual serving bowls and either decorate with separate mounds of cilantro, lettuce, and so on or place each garnish in its own serving bowl and have guests pass the bowls around. Serve with hot corn tortillas.