Little Rock Soup Sunday Highlight: Trio’s

As Little Rock’s Soup Sunday fundraiser approaches, we’re excited to have guest blogger Kevin Shalin, the foodie best known as The Mighty Rib and co-chair of this year’s event, here to share recipes for a few of the featured soups. Today, he talks with Trio’s and shares the recipe for Posole: Capi’s Way from owner Capi Peck and executive chef Shanna Merriweather.

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The 44^th Annual Soup Sunday benefiting Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families takes place March 2 at The Venue at Westwind in North Little Rock. As we inch closer and closer to the event, let us delve into yet another fantastic recipe from one of the participants. This time, Trio’s owner Capi Peck and executive chef Shanna Merriweather take us on a trip to Mexico with an authentic posole. For Peck, the decision to feature her very favorite soup was an easy one. “I was trying to think a little bit outside the box since I’ve participated in Soup Sunday so many times,” she says. If you can’t wait until March 2 to try it, here’s the recipe for the home cooks out there. 

Posole: Capi’s Way from Trio’s

Yield: Serves 16-20 

SHOP

Pork
3 lbs. pork shoulder
2 white onions, peeled and cut into quarters 
20 cloves garlic 
1 handful of cilantro, stems and leaves 
2 tablespoons kosher salt 

Guajillo sauce
20-25 guajillo chiles 
2 fresh tomatoes

Posole finishings
3 (16-ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed 
3 bay leaves 
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

Condiments
radishes, chopped 
shredded romaine 
lime wedges 
avocado slices 
tostadas  
cilantro, leaves only 
white onion, chopped 
dried Mexican oregano 

PREPARE
To prepare the pork, cut shoulder into 5-6 pieces. Place in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add onions, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Bring to a boil and skim off the grayish foam as it rises to the top. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, partially covered, for 3 hours or until the pork is very tender. Let cool in the stock pot. When cool enough to handle, remove pork and shred. Reserve broth. 

To prepare sauce, preheat oven to 350℉. Place the guajillo chiles on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes or until slightly aromatic. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place tomatoes in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and slip skins off of the tomatoes. Next, pour the boiling water over the toasted and dried chiles. Let sit for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Remove stems and seeds from the chiles and tear or cut into small pieces with kitchen shears. Place in a food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth. 

To finish the posole, skim and remove grease from the liquid pork was cooked in. Heat liquid and, when warm, add the guajillo-tomato mixture. Add bay leaves and Mexican oregano. Add shredded pork and drained and rinsed hominy. Heat through, taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.  

To serve, place hot posole in individual large bowls and arrange condiments on a large communal platter. Allow your friends to add their own selections—you can’t add too much. Enjoy!

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