George's Gameday Posole

A traditional Mexican dish from the pacific coast region of Jalisco; Posole is a thick soup made with hominy–dried corn with the hull and germ removed. Makes any large gathering a fiesta!

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George's Gameday Posole

Makes 8 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

2 pounds pork shoulder chops

1/2 cup Posole Pork Rub

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, sliced thick, grilled and chopped

4 jalapenos, roasted on grill; split seeded and chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

4 cups hot chicken broth

4 cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed

1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilentro

3 fresh red radishes, sliced thin

1 cup fresh cabbage, finely shredded

Rub pork on all sides with Posole Pork Rub, and refrigerate for at least two 2 hours or overnight.

Pre heat large soup pot  to high heat.

Brush chops with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add chops and sear pork on both sides until browned and not fully cooked. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, chopped onion, garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the hot broth, jalapenos, hominy and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chops, cool and chop meat into small pieces. Put pork back into soup. Continue cooking for 30 additional minutes. The longer and slower the soup simmers the better.

Stir in cilantro and serve bowls of soup topped with sliced radish, shredded cabbage, and with warm corn tortillas.

Posole Pork Rub

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon each: ground cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, thyme

1/2 teaspoon each: nutmeg, allspice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in a tightly sealed container.

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GameDay Gumbo

A good gumbo takes time, a great gumbo takes longer…

Whether it’s a stew or soup-like, there is nothing more satisfying than a hearty bowl of Gumbo..

Gumbo is truely Cajun and the official state dish of Louisiana; one that celebrates their heritage of sustenance off the land. There are numerous ingredients that can be added to a gumbo, but it's really all about utilizing what’s on hand. Chicken, duck + rabbit are the usual meats, along with ham and sausage. A seafood gumbo can contain shrimp, crab and oysters. However, the basics ingredients used in any gumbo are the “holy trinity” consisting of onion, celery and green peppers, thickened with a dark roux.  

gumbo.jpg

Additionally, the make up of a Cajun Gumbo is the use of heritage ingredients such as the African vegetable okra, together with the cooking influences of local Choctaw Indians, French, German and Spanish settlers. The addition of tomatoes is more Creole and not of Cajun influence. I believe the addition of tomatoes with all the other ingredients in the gumbo pot provides a wonderful mix of culture and full flavor. With such a rich culture as Louisiana has it is important to note that the preparing of a gumbo goes far beyond the making of this ‘stew’ and really brings together the community.  

This new kind of gumbo may just be stepping back to the Cajun way - with everyone contributing to the pot for the goodess of the stew.

For MY GUMBO RECIPE

A good gumbo takes time, a great gumbo takes longer. 

So what’s the hurry? I learned this lesson first hand from some good Cajun friends who take the better part of a day assembling, cooking and stirring the gumbo pot. Results of this time honored patience is a great ol’ time exchanging conversation and stories with friends along with a brat or two and some chilled long necks until the gumbo is served.  

GameDay Gumbo Recipe | Adapted from Gather ‘round the Grill

Makes 8-10 servings 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces; or substitute 4 boneless thighs or breasts

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, chopped

3 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

8 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon thyme, sea salt

2 bay leaves

1 cup okra, fresh or frozen, sliced

1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder dissolved in 1/4 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons Italian (flat leaf) parsley, rough choppedf

Fresh ground black pepper

Heat a large soup pot to a medium temperature. Add olive oil and chicken and cook on all sides until light brown. 

Add sausage and brown. Add butter, melt then add flour and cook for 10 minutes stirring until the roux (flour & butter) is light brown. 

Add the onion, and cook until a light golden color, stirring occasionally. Add the green bell pepper, green onion, celery, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken or vegetable broth, parsley, hot sauce, thyme, bay leaves, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Bring the gumbo to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove chicken and reserve until cool. If using bone-in chicken remove meat from chicken bones and chop chicken meat into 1/2 inch pieces  and return meat to soup pot. Simmer gently for 2 additional hours. 

Remove bay leaves, add okra and simmer ten minutes. Add shrimp five minutes before serving. Mix in the dissolved gumbo file. 

Serving suggestion: Serve with a scoop of steamy hot rice, top with additional parsley and chopped green onions. 

Note: Gumbo file can be found in the spice section of your supermarket.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one
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Gameday Gumbo

enjoy GHL six times weekly T,W,TH & F on Create TV

..good gumbo takes time, a great gumbo takes longer…

Whether it’s a stew or soup-like, there is nothing more satisfying than a hearty bowl of Gumbo. 

George_Hirsch_Gumbo.jpeg

Gumbo is truly Cajun and the official state dish of Louisiana; one that celebrates their heritage of sustenance off the land. I have on several occasions been part of a true Cajun 'Gumbo' party which is an all-day outdoor celebration. There is nothing like cooking a gumbo with a little outdoor flavor - especially if the meats or vegetables have been pre-grilled or smoked before being added to the gumbo pot. 

There are numerous ingredients that can be added to a gumbo, but it's really all about utilizing what’s on hand. Chicken, duck + rabbit are the usual meats, along with ham and smoked sausage. A seafood gumbo can contain shrimp, crab and oysters. However, the basics ingredients used in any gumbo are the “holy trinity” consisting of onion, celery and green peppers, thickened with a dark roux.  

Additionally, the make up of a Cajun Gumbo is the use of heritage ingredients such as the African vegetable okra, together with the cooking influences of local Choctaw Indians, French, German and Spanish settlers. The addition of tomatoes is more Creole and not of Cajun influence. I believe the addition of tomatoes with all the other ingredients in the gumbo pot provides a wonderful mix of culture and full flavor. With such a rich culture as Louisiana has it is important to note that the preparing of a gumbo goes far beyond the making of this ‘stew’ and really brings together the community.  

This full flavored gumbo is a lighter version than the Cajun traditional, yielding to the heavier butter and flour versions making a more traditional stew or soup. However, the basics of broth and rice carry true and the rest is up to you. Make it seafood with crab, shrimp, or crawfish. Or, with chicken, duck or all vegetable.

George's Gumbo

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adapted from George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, diced

1/2 pound smoked sausage (chorizo or kielbasa), chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 cup okra, fresh or frozen, sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon each, oregano, thyme, sage

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon hot sauce, or more to taste

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup chicken broth (for thickening)

Fresh ground black pepper

Optional: 

1 pound large (26-30) size shrimp, peeled & devein, save shells for broth

2 cups cooked steamed white or brown rice

Heat a large soup pot to a medium temperature. Add the olive oil and chicken, and smoked sausage. Add the onion, and cook until a light golden color, stirring occasionally. Add the green bell pepper, green onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, hot sauce, and fresh ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the okra and gumbo file. Simmer for at least an additional 35 to 45 minutes. Additional time of slow simmering will intensify flavors.

Before serving, add shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes until done. 

Serving suggestion: serve with a scoop of steamy hot rice

Note: If using shrimp, cook shrimp shells in chicken broth for ten minutes to extract additional flavor, strain shells and use broth.

Gumbo file can be found in the spice section of your market.

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