A rich stew of prairie turnips, parched corn, hominy, and turkey thigh inspired by the Poshol stew cooked by the Akimel O’odham of the Southwest United States. It's great in a crock pot. This is a very rich soup, so ¾ cup is fine for an appetizer.
5large guajillo chiliesor a combination of other chilies, like ancho or pasilla
6cupshot chicken stockeither homemade and unseasoned, or use water
12medium dried prairie turnips
1large yellow onion
5large cloves garlic
2tablespoonsanimal fatlike bacon grease, chicken schmaltz, or lard
Garnish suggestions
Sunflower sprouts
Chopped yellow onion
Radishes
Shredded cabbage
Avocado
Lime wedges
Instructions
Prep
Season the turkey thighs with salt and pepper liberally, then allow to rest uncovered in the fridge overnight, skin-side up.
Cover the prairie turnips and parched corn with boiling water to cover. Cover the beans with 1.5 cups room temperature water. Allow the ingredients to soak overnight, room temp or in the fridge, either is fine.
Building the stew
The next day, cut the prairie turnips into ½ inch slices, removing the remaining string of taproot in any as you cut. Toast the chilis in the oven at 325F for 10-15 minutes or until fragrant, then allow to cool. The chilies should be crisp and brittle, break the stem off, discard as many seeds as you can and reserve.
In a 10 inch saute pan or skillet, heat the oil and brown the turkey skin-side down. Meanwhile, crush the dried chilies, then puree smooth in a blender with the hot stock or water. Deglaze the chicken stock with a splash of water, scrape up any brown bits and add to the chili-stock mix.
Combine the turkey thighs, corn and timpsila, along with their liquid, the chili-stock puree, onion and garlic in a crock pot and cook for 6-8 hours on high, or until the parched corn has started to burst and the beans are tender. Remove the turkey thighs after 1.5 hours, chill, remove the skin and chop fine, then cut the meat into pieces and reserve with the skin (adding the skin is optional but adds richness).
Finishing
To finish the soup, add the chicken and skin to the pot. Judge the level of liquid in the pot and refresh the ingredients with some extra stock or water if the soup is getting dry. Double check the seasoning for salt, pepper, and spiciness, adjust until it tastes good to you, and serve with the garnishes on the side.