4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth or water, divided
1 to 2 pounds pork, beef or chicken, cubed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 dried ancho chile, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and meat, and sauté until brown. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add chiles and adobo sauce, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, allspice and salt. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cook for about 10 minutes until flavors have blended.
3. Add meat mixture to posole mixture. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 to 30 minutes longer. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, minced cilantro and sour cream in desired. Serves 8.
Note: Posole can be served very spicy and hot or very mild. For a milder posole, remove the seeds from the chiles before cooking. To order dried posole online, visit www.localharvest.org/store or www.ranchogordo.com
By Jeanette Hurt, Relish the American Table, March 11, 2007.

