Menudo in our house is a cold weather ritual. My mom (momo) would spend hours prepping her ingredients then kept a watchful eye over her pot all night. Any of you who have made menudo know this dish can be quite time consuming. These days the work in cut in half with the tripe being sold in stores pre cut , menudo mixes are sold in the spice isles and various flavors of hominy are now available. None of these quick options were avaiable for my mom, but knowing my mom I doubt she would resort to any of these time savers. In the the morning bolillos, onions, cilantro and limes were placed on the table next to hot steamy bowls of menudo.
My dad (papi) would excitedly sit at the table all while reminding us how blessed we were that my mom was a fantastic cook and we should be grateful she made us this wonderful meal. Even as I type I can feel the guilt creeping over me, guilt of knowing my mom had lost sleep all night to produce the perfect tenderness of meat, the intense fire red broth made from the exact mix of chiles and all I wanted was the hominy that was dumped in at the last hour of simmering (from a can). Oh you horrible child, I could imagine her saying, but she never did. She would smile and sink the ladle to the very bottom of the menudo pot to retrieve the broth infused hominy (it sinks to the bottom from the weight of the meat). She would though add just a couple of pieces of meat, knowing my dad was watching, he was always watching. Or maybe she was hoping I would accidentally try the tripe and learn to enjoy it which I did, but I have never stopped asking for extra hominy in my menudo. A couple of years ago I confessed my sin to her hoping for forgiveness and she just laughed.
I first made this hominy side dish when my parents came to visit us in Killeen, Texas while my hubby was in the Army.
As I was plating I almost dropped the whole pan out of sheer nervousness of serving her, would she think I was insane to serve hominy like this?
Would she like it?
Would this make up for the guilt I felt all those years and most importantly offer me a quick fix to feed my constant craving for hominy?
She loved it, yes, she even asked for the recipe. I would have fainted if my mouth wasn’t full. Enjoy! Sweetlife
This is a quick side dish, you are simply giving the precooked hominy a quick saute after the celery and onion have softened a bit. I prefer to use a non stick pan because the homniy releases starch which can lead to sticking. If you do not have a non-stick pan, use a little more olive oil and just watch your heat, you should be fine, relax it’s not a test, it’s a side dish.
Hominy with Cilantro and Lime
by Sweetlife
Vianney Rodriguez
serves 4
- 4 cups hominy (drained and rinsed)
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- handful of cilantro
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil.
- When the oil is heated through add the onions, celery and garlic and cook until they become slightly soft translucent, not mushy.
- Add your hominy, salt, pepper and heat through. Remove from the heat add lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve.
What is the yellow balls in the dish picture?
Hi Shelly~
The recipe calls for 4 cups of hominy. I used 2 cups white, 2 cups yellow. Give it a try, you will love it!
Vianney~
It’s yellow hominy. It is more difficult to find here than white. I went to 3 stores that only had white. I found yellow at Walmart. I like yellow better.
Oh, I love hominy, too…and what a touching story…love it! And now, for some reason…I’m craving Menudo…. 😉
would love to have a bowl of these!! YUMMM.
have a fabulous day!
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
Give me a spoon. I want to try this new dish 😀 *scoop scoop*
Hominy is still a fairly new ingredient to my pantry, so I’m happy to have more ideas of how to use it. This sounds lovely!
This dish looks just stellar! I love hominy and have gradually expanded its use in my kitchen beyond posole. Now I have another incredible recipe to try. Thanks so much!
Belli questi ricordi di famiglia! Davvero un bel piatto! Kiss 🙂
I’ve never tried hominy, but I would love to try this dish. It looks like warming and delicious comfort food. I think the best foods in the world are the ones that you can trace back to being a kid.
*kisses* HH
My Aunt Sylvia would make me menudo when I was young. She would serve it with eggs. I can taste it right now. This looks delish.
I really love mexican food. However, in Australia its difficult to get certain ingredients like hominy. Perhaps one day when I visit the US or Mexico I’ll get to eat the real thing.
What a sweet story. It looks delicious!
Aww, I always love your family stories =). I’m so happy she liked it that much!
I’ve never had hominy, but I like how mellow and colourful it looks =P. Sounds yummy!
~Kurious Kitteh
Hey, I finally know the name for hominy now!
Your dish seriously looks so bright and cheerful. Like sunshine in a bowl, really. Haha, I imagine that it might even taste like light.
I can imagine your mom simply laughing when you laid out your guilt: you expressed your guilt out of love, but your mom probably made the food for you out of love too–so, it’s some fine irony there ;]
Pretty sure your momo forgotten about that incident but your memory made you a person that cares and deeply respect food… with all its nostalgia. 🙂
Thanks for reminding me of hominy. I haven’t had one for 9 years now. I should go to organic stores and get me some.
It hasn’t been too long ago that Hominy was brought to my attention. I guess my curious self is going to have to try some soon. I’ll be adding it to my ‘Get to know list ‘ ;o))
Have yourself a wonderful weekend and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
my grandmother use to make menudo, my father loved it….In Philadelphia they have a tripe soup called pepper pot, thats probably why he enjoyed it so….she could not make it hot enough for him…..My mother still enjoys hominy from time to time…..I will have to copy this recipe for her!
Terrific idea for a side dish. I think I would like it along side a grilled rib-eye.
Love the colors and the different textures and bright flavors. Really looks like a winner.
LL
it seems like hominy is reserved solely for posole, and that’s a shame–it’s good stuff! i like this new use for it. 🙂
This is a sweet reflection on your mom’s dedication to cooking good food. I have hominy from Rancho Gordo that I am looking forward to trying. This looks like a terrific recipe.
looks wonderful and what a wonderful post and how cool you Mum loved it
I think I have only eaten hominy once but can’t quite remember the taste. This side dish looks fresh and delicious.
Hey Bonnie
Never had any of any of this, but the hominy looks wonderful, and I LOVE tripe!! You know, maybe a great way to erase that guilt would be to post that Menudo recipe in honor of your mum? ROFL Yes, I know….I’m shameless 😉
Love the photos, especially the second one!
I enjoyed your story about menudo. I luv menudo too and have fond memories surrounding enjoying it for Sunday breakfasts when growing up. My abuelita and tias would come over to make it with my mom and I remember it was a long process. They wouldn’t allow the kids in the kitchen cause they knew we’d be grossed out by the tripe during prep. Still can’t stomach the tripe. I could never get enough hominy though! =)
This is a beautiful dish you’ve created with the hominy and all the other tasty ingredients that work so well together.
@Cristina…how nice that your family came together to make this wonderful soup, our family always came together for tamale season, what fun and so yummy!!
sweetlife
New to me but looks delicious. Love your post. Your mom is such a great cook. You cook very well like her.
Great recipe, and wonderful post:) Looks beautiful and oh so appetizing…Nice story too 🙂
I’ve never had hominy OR menudo before and after reading this I’m dying to try both! I’m so glad your mom liked the dish…it looks so good that I can see why!
@Joanne…..oh Joanne you must really try menudo, you’ll love it!!
sweetlife
Hi Bonnie,
you know… when I read “Menudo” the first thing that came to mind was Ricky Martin’s old boy bad days…. YIKES! I’ve never heard of hominy but now I’m totally intrigued. It looks beautiful and lovely.
btw, I’m sure everyone’s experienced times of guilt by things their parents have cooked. I know I have my share… *blushes*. xoxo
@Jenn …love the new blog…and yes Menudo always makes me think of Menudo…I had all their records!! ah childhood crushes..
sweetlife
Love your childhood story about the menudo and the hominy. Can’t wait to try your hominy recipe; it sounds wonderful!
Gimme a bowl…minus the celery. And I can imagine the butterflies in your tummy as your served up a bowl – glad Momo liked it!
I’ve never made anything with hominy before, but this looks like a great combination of flavors!
Does it taste more like grits or corn?
@blond duck….hominy taste a little like corn but to me more earthy flavor…hope you give it a try..
sweetlife
great taste I am sure – one i will have to try…
A beautiful dish! I would really like to find hominy here.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is something new to me…it looks totally tempting with all the finely diced goodness!
Wow….it’s a long time since I’ve seen this grain, we have something similar in Brazil, but we make only dessert with it. Great pictures. It looks very yummy.
Wow It looks so fresh and delicious. The pictures look fantastic 🙂
CONGRATS to Reeni from Cinnamom Spice and Everything Nice on winning the giveaway too.
Carmen
Wonderful story Bonnie! Moms love us, no matter what! 🙂
I never had hominy. I’ll try it. Your photos look fabulous!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I WON THE GIVEAWAY!!! YiPeEE!
I can’t wait to try the puffy tacos!!
Hugs!
Carmen
That’s great that she liked it! I would love to try this recipe myself as it sounds delicious! 🙂
Never had this before but it looks so good!
Love hominy. I need to try this recipe. Beautiful photos.
I adore hominy. Great recipe!
Thanks so much for the cookbook! I’m thrilled! And doing a happy dance. Your hominy looks wonderful! I only had it once before in a soup and I really liked it.
you know, I never was a big fan of menudo and thus haven’t learned to appreciate hominy yet, but I have to say that dish looks really, really good.
I’ve always wanted to try hominy.
And she wouldn’t have made it if she didn’t love you.
Oh I feel for you getting so nervous! So glad to hear your mom loved your hominy. Your photos make me want to dive right in! xo
What a lovely heartfelt story behind the food. No doubt your mum would love anything and everything you plate.
The hominy recipe is great too with all the fresh ingredients 🙂 I really enjoyed reading this one.
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
p.s. Bonnie! Are you ‘Vianney’? That’s so pretty…!
Hey Bonnie! This sounds so good. I can just look at it and see why your Momo approved. I like the idea of her pot full of brothy goodness too though (smile).
p.s. When you say ‘rinsed & drained’, does that mean canned hominy is okay?
@Stella…yes canned hominy is fine, thanks I should have posted this…yes Vianney (V-N-A) but oh goodness I can’t remember the last time someone called me this, hah..it’s either mom, babe or bonnie, take care
bonnie
sweetlife
Hominy, that is new. But the dish looks so fresh and crisp.
@Chandi…yes with the addition of celery and the splash of lime..it is very fresh..
sweetlife
bonnie
I’ve never made hominy before. Thanks for the inspiration.
Wow, what a nice summery salad…love the mixture of the two colors of hominy…and with cilantro…yummie!
@Juliana, thanks your always so sweet!! HUGS!!
sweetlife
bonnie
HA! I used to hide food on a ledge under our table as a kid. Until the day my mom bent down to clean a spot of the rug and discovered my stash! That was a bad day–but she has forgiven me. Mommies always forgive!
The celery with the hominy is a surprise to me, but it sounds wonderful!
@ Sommer…under the ledge oh how funny..yes mom’s are very forgiving..the celery gives it such a great crisp flavor, try it out!!
sweetlife
bonnie
Looks wonderful, love the combination of hominy and cilantro. I will definitely give it a try.
Have a great week : )
What a charming story and great recipe. Isn’t it wonderful to be able to produce a dish that you used to enjoy as a child (with some adaptations) and have your family or parents love it? I’ve had the same fear when I’ve tried serving my parents an adaptation of a family classic, but they always love what they try!
Gorgeous hominy recipe and fantastic photos.