Smoked Duck and Sweet Corn Pozole

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 pound smoked duck meat, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapenos
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 6 cups rich brown duck stock or chicken stock
• 2 cups cooked white hominy, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups blanched sweet corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Place the bacon in a large, 1-gallon stockpot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the smoked duck to the stockpot. Sear until caramelized on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Season the onions lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the jalapenos and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the duck stock and hominy and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Add the blanched corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pozole from the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and reserved bacon. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle pozole into soup bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, and serve immediately.