Achiote-Seared Hominy

Chef Lou Lambert from Dutch's shares the recipe for a hominy dish.


Achiote-Seared Hominy

3 cups cooked hominy
6 tablespoons achiote oil (recipe follows)
2 garlic cloves, rough chop
2 tablespoons dark chili powder
kosher salt and black pepper
3 roma tomatoes, oven roasted, rough chop (recipe follows)
1 medium red onion, 1-inch dice, caramelized
juice of 1 lemon
3 ounces baby arugula
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, rough chop
2 teaspoons fresh flat leaf parsley, rough chop
4 ounces goat cheese
toasted pita bread, for serving

Preheat large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the achiote oil.  Drop the garlic in the hot oil and swirl the pan to evenly cook the garlic.  As soon as the garlic just begins to develop a little color, about 30 seconds, add the hominy and turn the heat to high.  Allow the hominy to sear in the hot pan for about a minute before stirring, then continue to cook until you see a little color and the hominy begins to sizzle and pop.  Stir in the chili powder and lightly season with salt and pepper.  Add the tomato and onion and continue to cook until they are heated through, about two minutes.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the hominy and remove the pan from the heat.  Fold in the arugula, oregano, parsley and half of the goat cheese.  Transfer the hominy to a serving platter and crumble the remaining goat cheese over the top.  Serve with pita bread or flour tortillas toasted with olive oil and cumin.

Achiote Oil
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons achiote paste (available in the Mexican foods aisle at most grocers)

Place the olive oil and achiote paste in a blender and process until smooth.  Transfer to a small saucepan and heat to about 200 degrees, holding the temperature for about two minutes.  Remove from fire and allow achiote to steep in the oil for at least 30 minutes.  Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer, reserving the oil and discarding achiote.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes
3 roma tomatoes, cut in half end to end
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt

Lay out the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking pan.  Lightly sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with olive oil and salt.  Cook the tomatoes in a 225-degree oven for about 1 ½ to 2 hours until the tomatoes have lightly browned.

LINKS: 
https://www.alz.org/northcentraltexas/events/ablaze-igniting-passion-for-a-cure
www.dutchshamburgers.com