It’s not a celebration in Mexico without pozole. The spicy, porky soup, laden with tender hominy corn and a fiery chile paste, is perfect for a crowd and just the ticket for a Cinco de Mayo party.

The trouble is it’s hard to find a really good recipe that you can make with readily available ingredients. I mean, who can find pork trotters without an exhaustive search?  Even the Mexican markets in my town don’t carry them.

Then there are the secrets that you’re not likely to know unless you grew up in the culture, cooking at your mother’s elbow. I struggled with the dried corn for which the dish is named through a couple of batches of soup before I understood that even the bags of corn in the Mexican market had to be boiled with slaked lime before washing and cooking.  The pozole tasted good but it was so rubbery and tough it was almost inedible. Cans of white hominy — many cooks’ standby — just didn’t appeal.

Luckily, I found the already treated — nixtamalized — corn at Steve Sando’s great online store, Rancho Gordo. Sando uses small Southwestern corn kernels for his posole (it can be spelled with and “s” or a “z”).  The treated kernels cook up tender and fluffy,  providing the perfect canvas for rich pork, lively chiles and the panoply of toppings that give pozole it’s festive character. (more…)

Flu and cold season already has arrived at my house.  After being laid up on the couch all weekend with a scratchy throat, aching head and the sniffles, all I wanted was a hot bowl of chicken soup.

Nothing out of a can or a box would do, and I wasn’t interested in anything from the takeout counter.  I wanted homemade soup and it was up to me to make it.

Truth be told, it’s so easy I can’t imagine why anyone would buy chicken soup.  Even someone as unsteady and fuzzy-brained as I was can make her own as long as there are a few staples in the pantry, some basic veggies in the fridge and chicken parts in the freezer.

If you have a food processor, you don’t even have to chop anything.

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Some of my most dismal food memories are of hospital fare.  The few times I’ve  had to stay overnight in a hospital, the food invariably has been a disaster of soggy vegetables, mystery meat and Technicolor Jello.   Even my extraordinarily healthy appetite heads south in the face of such sad offerings.

The good people at Stanford Hospital & Clinics are on a mission to change all that.  Last week, they invited patients, staff and food writers to a tasting of their new Farm Fresh menu of wholesome food prepared with local, sustainable, organic and seasonal ingredients.

This carrot soup, sweet with apple juice and spicy with ginger and curry, won me over instantly.  It’s simple enough to be soothing while still complex enough to be intriguing — just the sort of dish to brighten up a hospital stay. (more…)

Tuscan kale from Blue Heron Farms at the Aptos Farmers Market

Italians call it cavalo nero, or black cabbage.

Here it’s known as Tuscan, lacinato or even dinosaur kale — a relatively tender and mildly bitter member of the hardy brassica family. Although it’s not as beautiful as some of its ruffled, brightly hued cousins, it’s prized by cooks for its deep, savory flavor and meaty texture. It’s all 0ver farmers markets at this time of year, a sturdy bearer of calcium, iron and vitamins C and A in the heart of winter.

Tuscan kale is the star ingredient in Italian dishes from robust ribollita soup to a wintery bruschetta. It has a real affinity for beans and grains, making it a favorite with vegetarians. But it also partners well with pancetta or bacon.

Simply braised, kale can be a bit austere. Paired with garlic, onions and a little red wine vinegar, it becomes more interesting. Dressed with olives, red pepper flakes and a little lemon, it becomes a delightful side dish for roasted meats and poultry. (more…)