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by Deborah Madison, Local Flavors, Broadway Books 2002

1 pound hominy, dried
1 large white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican orgegano
6 large New Mexico green chiles (or poblanos)
1 bunch scallion, finely chopped
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole avocado, diced into chunks
4 whole corn tortilla, slivered
1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
1 lime lime, quartered

1. Put the posole in a large soup pot with onion, garlic, oregano and a gallon of water. bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until tender. This can take as long as 3 hours, so check pot occasionally and add water as it boils away. The posole will swell considerably, and the kernels will split open.

2. While the posole is cooking, orast the chiles, then place them in a bowl and cover with a plate to steam for 15 minutes. Slip off the skins, pull out the seeds and chop. Add the chopped chiles to the simmering posole along with 4 teaspoons salt. Continue cooking until the posole is completely tender. Taste for salt.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F. To make the salsa, combine the scallions, cilantro, chile, cumin and salt to a bowl. Stir in the oil, add water as needed to thin, and add avacado. Toast the tortilla strips in the oven until crisp, or fry them in vegetable oil.

4. To serve, stir the salsa into the posole and garnish with a nest of cabbage and tortilla strips and a wedge of lime. Accompany with warm tortillas