Pozole with tomato twang

Dear SOS: Could you please get the recipe for the vegetarian pozole served at the Big Sky Cafe in San Luis Obispo? It is delicious.

RICHARD COHEN

Los Angeles

Dear Richard: Pozole, a wonderfully flavorful Mexican stew, is normally made with pork, but the Big Sky’s vegetarian version has a rich chile-infused tomatillo and tomato base. For breakfast, the cafe departs deliciously from tradition and serves it over cornbread with a poached egg on top.

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Big Sky Cafe vegetarian pozole

Total time: 3 1/2 hours plus overnight soaking

Servings: 10 to 12

Note: Dried pozole corn is available in Latino markets.

2 cups dried white pozole corn

2 cups dried blue pozole corn

4 tablespoons baking soda,

divided

4 dried chiles, a combination of pasilla, ancho and guajillo

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups diced onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet and ground

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted in a dry skillet and ground

3 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice

1 pound tomatillos, husked and quartered

16 cups (1 gallon) vegetable stock

1/2 cup lime juice

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided

1/2 cup queso fresco

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1. Soak each color of pozole corn overnight in separate bowls of water.

2. Drain the pozole corn. Place each color of corn in a separate medium saucepan and add enough water to each to cover. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to each pot. Bring both to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender, adding more water as needed and skimming foam from the surface. Drain off the cooking water and rinse the corn.

3. While the pozole is cooking, soak the dried chiles in hot water. When soft, remove the seeds and dice.

4. In a separate stock pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander and cook until the onions are translucent.

5. Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, diced chiles, vegetable stock and cooked pozole corn. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about 1 1/2 hours. The stew is done when the corn is cooked through.

6. Add the lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

7. Spoon the pozole into bowls and garnish with queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and the remaining cilantro.

Each of 12 servings: 383 calories; 12 grams protein; 61 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 3 mg. cholesterol; 1,104 mg. sodium.