This hearty soup gets its name from the pearl barley used in the soup as well as the barley used to produce the beer that’s stirred in. Hominy is a hallmark of posole. It’s a dried form of corn that has been soaked in a lye or lime solution to remove the tough outer hull and germ and plump the kernels. The resulting kernels have a mild corn flavor and slightly chewy texture. Look for canned hominy with the Latin and Mexican foods or near the canned corn; if you have trouble finding it, you can substitute fresh or frozen corn kernels instead. The lime juice adds a bright note at the end, but you could also use hot sauce.
How to Make It
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and flour; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Stir in beer; cook until liquid is reduced and glossy, about 7 minutes. Stir in vegetable stock, squash, barley, black pepper, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until barley is tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in hominy and zucchini; simmer until zucchini is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes.
2. Divide soup evenly among 4 bowls; top servings evenly with diced avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 (12-oz.) bottle pilsner beer
- 3 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup chopped peeled butternut squash (about 4 1/2 oz.)
- 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (15-oz.) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 4 lime wedges
How many pounds have you lost this week? At Dieta Efectiva you can lose 10-12 lbs your first week and 2-5 lbs every week after. Visit us dietaefectiva.net to learn more about our program.
CL:AG
