Pork Posole With Avocado, Cilantro and Lime

Sometimes I think I must have been Mexican in a previous life (of course, I also say that about other ethnicities when I can't seem to get enough of their food). But, to me, Mexican cuisine is so comforting and flavorful that it so easily satiates the hunger demon in me. Surprisingly, the one dish I had never tried was posole. It's not something you often see on menus and I'd never thought to make it at home.

I still haven't made it myself, but my dear friend Tracy recently did and now I am officially hooked. She kindly made a big batch on New Year's eve and sent us home with a container (complete with a fresh package of corn tortillas, an avocado, limes and cilantro) so that we wouldn't have to cook the next day. Love her. The recipe she based hers on was one she found in the January (2010) issue of Sunset magazine, but she used her own slow roasted pork and Hatch chile peppers instead of the chicken that Sunset's recipe called for. I adjusted her recipe as her Hatch chiles, which were supposed to be mild to medium, nearly burned the lips off my face (unless she added another heat source unbeknownst to us!). Tracy and her husband John have stomachs of iron and a tolerance for heat that would win the Gold Cup in any hot sauce eating contest. I can certainly hold my own with heat, but I often leave their home whimpering, "I can't feel my tongue." I added a bit more sour cream to my bowl and it was just fine. In fact, it was more than fine, this pork posole was absolutely delicious! Perfect on a cold day... Click here for the printable recipe for Pork Posole