Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde

My husband is away at a seminar for a couple of days this week. I could tell he was concerned about how I was going to eat while he was gone. I reassured him that i'd be fine. Besides, Tony and Cathy were having their St Patrick's Day party, so I didn't have to worry about dinner on Tuesday night. It just left Wednesday's dinner for me to figure out. He started listing off what we had in the fridge and what I needed to do to prepare it. I felt a bit better, sort of. And then an email from my best friend Teresa today totally saved me. Would you like to come by for dinner? Uh – yeah!! I know i've said it a million times before, my friends rock! Tonight's dinner was totally something you would order at a restaurant and not even attempt to try at home (ok, maybe that's just me, and I wouldn't try, it's worth whatever i'd have to spend not to make it). But Teresa did make it. It's one of those recipes where you have to spend time on it, there are a few steps, but so worth it. This meal is a traditional hominy based mexican stew. It is made with chicken broth, tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, garlic purée and of course, the main ingredient, chicken. 

This soup alone is beautiful and flavourful enough but then you add even more excitement by topping it with shredded lettuce, chopped red onions, crushed tortilla chips and sour cream, and it all comes together into the most fresh, light and delightful food combination you've ever had. It's kind of half salad, half soup. The recipe also normally calls for avocado, which i'm sure is fabulous, but it's the one food i'm allergic to, so it was omitted. I have to say, it was very difficult to not get up for a third bowl. She did send me home with some though. And I can't thank her enough. I'm still salivating at the thought of it. 

With our fantastic meal, we also had some really good wine. I believe this may have been a bottle left behind from my husband's birthday, and is totally worth a mention. I'm far from being a sommelier, so take this description as you will, it's got the flavour of a delicious heavy wine, but is very light. I'll stop there before I embarrass myself anymore. It's a 2007 Zinfandel called Cline.