Gallina pinta – Sonoran oxtail, hominy and bean soup

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 1.2 kgOxtail, cut into pieces
• 200 gDried pinto beans, rinsed
• ≈ 3 lWater
• ½Yellow onion, in one piece
• 4 clovesGarlic, for the broth
• 5Guajillo chiles, seeded
• 1 cloveGarlic, for the chilli paste
• 1 tspMexican oregano, for the chilli paste
• 1 mlCumin
• 500 gHominy, cooked, drained
• to tasteSalt

On the side

• ½Yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2Limes, in wedges
• 1 tspMexican oregano, for the table
• 8Tortillas

Method

1. Put the oxtail and beans in a large pot with the water, the piece of onion and the garlic for the broth. Bring to the boil and skim well.
2. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 2½ hours, until the meat comes away from the bone and the beans are soft. Top up with hot water if needed. In a pressure cooker, about 1 hour is enough.
3. Meanwhile, toast the chillies in a dry frying pan for a few seconds a side until fragrant, then soak them in hot water for 10 minutes.
4. Blend the drained chillies with the garlic, the oregano for the chilli paste, the cumin and 200 ml of the broth until smooth. Strain it.
5. Skim most of the fat off the surface. Stir in the chilli paste and hominy and season with salt.
6. Simmer for 30 minutes so the hominy takes on the flavour.
7. Finely chop the onion, cut the limes into wedges and put the oregano for the table in a small bowl. Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan.
8. Serve the soup in deep bowls with meat, hominy and beans, and let everyone add onion, oregano and lime to taste. Eat with the tortillas.

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