Butternut Squash Posole with Green Tomato Pico de Gallo

For the pico de gallo

• 2 green tomatoes, small dice, about 1 cup
• 1/3 cup red onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled, trimmed and minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

For the posole

• 1 onion, peeled, trimmed and small dice
• 1 poblano pepper, seed, cored and small dice
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, trimmed and minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground Mexican oregano
• 3 tablespoons red chile paste (see step one of the directions))
• 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cup butternut squash, cubed into 1/2 pieces
• 1 1/2 cup canned white hominy
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1. To make the chile paste place 3 dried and seeded new mexico peppers and 3 ancho peppers stemmed and seeded into a bowl of hot water. Make sure the peppers stay submerged. They need to soak for at least an hour. Process the chiles in a food processor adding about 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Process till smooth. Pass the paste through a coarse strainer set over a bowl by using a rubber spatula to push it through by rubbing the spatula back and forth. This will to remove any skins and leave you with about 1/3 of a cup of chile paste that will store nicely in the fridge.
2. Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a glug of oil to coat the pan. Add the onions and poblano. Season them with a two finger pinch of salt, some fresh ground pepper and sweat them till soft.
3. Add the garlic, Mexican oregano and the cumin. Saute until it is fragrant then add the chile paste and cook it for a minute before adding the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Bring the pot to a boil.
4. Add the squash which will stop the boil. Bring the pot to a boil again and this time reduce the heat to a simmer. Just as the squash is becoming tender add the hominy and cilantro. Stir the pot, taste and adjust the seasoning. When it is hot serve garnished with the salsa.
5. To make the salsa: While the squash is cooking combine combine all the salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.