The Nitty Gritty on a Thanksgiving Classic: Hominy

Hominy was served at our country's first Thanksgiving. Consumed as both a grain and a vegetable it was introduced to early settlers by Native Americans in the New World. Its name, derived from an ancient Algonquin word, traces back as early as 1620. However, a century earlier, Mexicans were cooking with posole, which is made by simmering dried corn kernels in a lime water bath before grinding and mixing into masa. This was used to make tortillas and posole, the traditional Mexican stew that remains a popular dish today.

Hominy is dried corn that is hulled and stripped of the germ before it is soaked in an alkaline lye or limewater solution to make it tender and edible. This process, called nixtamalization, boosts the vitamin B bioavailability, making it a more nutritious food than it was before this process. Some of the fiber of the corn is lost as it is soaked, but hominy still remains a reasonable source of fiber-4 grams per one cup serving. Corn grits, samp (coarsely ground hominy), and pearl hominy are all varieties of hominy.

Recent studies on whole grains, such as corn, show that they contain substantial amounts of polyphenols, plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other illnesses. The benefits of polyphenols in whole grains are emerging as potentially more important than fiber, which is usually credited to whole grains' benefits. The June 2000 Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that whole grains, particularly corn, are very high in antioxidant activity, measuring higher than some fruits and vegetables.

Nutrients for one cup:
Calories: 115
Fiber: 4gms
Protein: 2.4gms
Carbohydrates: 23gms

Recipe:
Turkey Posole (serves 12)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, cubed
2 poblano chili peppers, seeded, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp dried oregano
4 cups cooked turkey
1 (4oz) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cans navy beans, drained
2 cans white hominy, drained

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and chiles and cook until soft. Stir in seasonings and cook for two minutes.

2. Stir in broth, turkey, chile peppers, beans and hominy. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for one hour.

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