Pork Stew with Hominy and Collard Greens + Giveaway Winner

When I came across Adam's post on Amateur Gourmet about pork stew with hominy, I had to laugh.  Just like him, I had a bag of Rancho Gordo dried hominy in my cupboard that had been hanging out for a year or so, waiting for me to get my act together and cook something with it!  Although I'd come across various recipes for pozole, nothing quite inspired me to break open that bag and get cooking.  Since Adam was in my same predicament, when I saw his post I knew it was time!  And I'm glad I did finally use that hominy, because it made a great stew.  Cubes of tender, long-stewed pork are a great counterpoint for the chewy, slightly nutty hominy.  And, the addition of collard greens in the last 20 minutes of cooking adds an awesome veggie element and really makes this a one-dish meal.  Leftovers heated up well, but you can also make a half-recipe for a smaller group.

On another note - the winner of my giveaway for Nudo olive oil was Erin.  Erin - congrats, and look for an email from me in your inbox!

Pork Stew with Hominy and Collard Greens (adapted from Melissa Clark of the New York Times, via Amateur Gourmet)
Serves 8

1 pound dried hominy, such as Rancho Gordo brand

3 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch-square chunks
1 T kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper
3 T vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 T chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 chipotles in adobo sauce
1 (12-ounce) bottle lager-style beer
2 pounds collard greens (about 2 bunches), center rib removed, leaves chopped
Lime wedges, for serving
Cilantro leaves, for serving

1. Soak the hominy in lots of water overnight (at least 8 hours). Drain.
2. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the meat in batches until it's well browned - this will take longer than you want it to, but keep at it! Transfer the meat to a plate.
3. Pour out some of the fat, leaving enough to cook the onions. Add the onions and cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Cook for one minute, and then return the pork to the pot.
4. Stir in the chipotles, hominy, and beer, along with 6 cups of water and 2 tsp salt. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the collards after 1 hour and 10 minutes, so they get about 20 minutes of cooking time. The meat and hominy should be tender -- cook a little longer if not. Add more water if the stew is too thick for your liking.
5. Fish out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, and discard. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
6. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro.