Menudo Blanco (Sonoran Style)

Description

End of the year means Fiesta and Posadas! And what's better than a warm, flavorful, and traditional soup to get friends and family together on these cold days of winter? You got it: Menudo Blanco. Ready your palate, and find out why this plate has become a staple in the northern region of Mexico.

Method

1. Clean up the Panza de Res by carefully removing and disposing all the fat that may be attached to it. Rinse it thoroughly and cut it in small squares (3-4cm).
2. In a large pot add 6 liters of water, add the Panza de Res, Pata, head of garlic, black pepper, coriander seeds, and salt. Bring to a boil, and let it simmer. Stir occasionally.
3. While the meat is cooking, cut the Anaheim peppers in four sections and remove the stem and seeds, and set aside. Finely chop the white part of the scallion and reserve white and green bits separately.
4. Once the Panza de Res starts softening (about 1 hour in), grab the scallion greens, cut it in half, and add it to the pot along with the Anaheim peppers and oregano.
5. Rinse the Maíz Pozolero thoroughly and add it to the pot. Stir occasionally.
6. For the garnish, start chopping the coriander and mix it with the finely chopped onions. Reserve 5 tsp. of coriander.
7. For the side, slice the bread, add butter and oregano, and toast them.
8. After 1 more hour of cooking (2 hours by now), both the Maíz Pozolero and Panza de Res should be soft (if they're not, let it simmer for another 30 minutes or until both are soft!), add the chopped coriander you reserved earlier, and it's now ready to serve.
9. In a large bowl, add a decent and equal amount of Panza de Res and Maíz Pozolero, a piece of Pata, and fill it to the top with soup. Garnish it with your coriander and onion mix, some ground dry chiltepin, and serve it with a side of toast, add lime to taste, and enjoy!

Author Notes

Traditionally, this soup is cooked on embers during the cold nights of winter, but nowadays it's also very common to do it on the stove. When it comes to bread, the most common choice is Pan Birote, but you can use any wheat bread or even Tortillas de Maíz. So feel free to do it the way that suits you best!