Posole Rojo - Pork and Hominy Stew

1 large head garlic

12 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

4 pounds country-style pork ribs

1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled

2 ounces dried red chilies

1-1/2 cups boiling-hot water

1/4 large white onion

2 teaspoons salt, plus 1 teaspoon

2 30-ounce cans white hominy

Tortilla chips

Accompaniments: Diced avocado, thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped white onion, diced radishes, lime wedges, dried oregano, and dried hot red pepper flakes.

Peel the garlic cloves and reserve 2 for the chili sauce. Slice the remaining garlic. In a 7- to 8-quart heavy kettle bring water and broth just to a boil with sliced garlic and pork. Skim the surface and add oregano. Gently simmer pork, uncovered, until tender, about 11/2 hours.

While pork is simmering, discard stems from chilies, and in a bowl, combine them with boiling-hot water. Soak chilies, turning them occasionally, for 30 minutes. Cut onion into large pieces and, in a blender, puree with chilis and soaking liquid, reserved 2 cloves of garlic and 2 teaspoons salt until smooth.

Transfer pork with tongs to a cutting board and reserve broth mixture. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Discard the pork bones. Rinse and drain hominy. Return pork to broth mixture and add chili sauce, hominy, and remaining teaspoon salt. Simmer posole 30 minutes and, if necessary, season with salt. Posole may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Serve posole with broken up tortilla chips and bowls of accompaniments. Serves eight.

Source: Adapted from Gourmet magazine, March 1999