If you’re missing your annual winter vacation to somewhere warm, you may want to consider bringing some of those warm flavours into your holiday meals this year.

This family recipe for a classic Mexican stew makes use of leftovers as part of a sustainable recipe series from Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

This one comes from executive chef Andre Natera of the Fairmont Austin in Texas.

“This is a pozole verde that my family makes with leftover turkey, however we also make it with pork and chicken throughout the year,” Natera explains. “There are other types of pozole and it can also be made red by using dried chilis and omitting the green ingredients. This version is my family’s traditional holiday pozole.”

Pozole verde with turkey

Pozole

1.9 litres chicken or turkey stock

3 pounds leftover turkey

2 onions, cut in quarters

5 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

5 cloves

6 tomatillos, medium size

2 jalapeño peppers

1 cup coriander leaves

2 canned hominy, rinsed

burnt tortilla* (see note)

roasted poblano peppers peeled**

Pozole garnish

1 small onion, diced

½ finely shredded cabbage

4 radishes, cut in quarters

2 limes, cut ready to squeeze

¼ cup chopped coriander

1 large bag tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Bring the stock to a simmer over a burner on medium heat. Then add one of the quartered onions and dried oregano, and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. In a blender, add the tomatillo, jalapeño, quartered onion, coriander, garlic, roasted poblano**, burnt tortilla*, and cloves, and blend until very smooth.

3. After 30 minutes, add the turkey and the blended tomatillo puree.

4. Note the recipe does not call for salt, so adjust to your preference.

5. Let simmer for an additional 20 minutes and add the hominy.

6. To serve, place in a bowl and allow others to garnish as they wish with the condiments.

* To burn the tortilla is a traditional step in my family’s recipe. Place a

corn tortilla directly on the burner of your stove and turn occasionally, allowing it to burn into a black tortilla. It will catch fire so it is important to constantly blow it out and keep burning. You can't overburn this tortilla because even ash is fine.

** For the poblano peppers, roast over an open flame directly on your burner.

The goal is to completely char the skin of the pepper. Once charred, place in a plastic ziplock bag or Tupperware container with a lid and allow to steam for five minutes. Then, under cool water, wash the charred skin from the pepper and remove the stems and seeds.