This dish was inspired by a traditional northern Argentine hominy stew called mote con habas (fava beans) that typically contains different kinds of stewed pork and/or beef. Chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, co-owners of Portland’s beloved OX and co-authors of Around the Fire, make this Argentine breakfast all year long, even when favas aren’t in season—they just omit the beans altogether. Though it’s typically a one-pot dish, you can break up the components to cater to guests with different diets. The stew recipe can be vegan or vegetarian if you prefer something lighter. If you decide to go the meaty route, pork belly braised with maple syrup and beer takes the heartiness up a level, turning it into a darn delicious breakfast.
Stewed Heirloom Hominy with Fava Beans, Pork Belly, and Fried Duck Egg
Stewed Hominy
How to Make It
To blanch and peel the fava beans, bring a small pot of water to a boil, and season generously with salt (the water should taste like seawater). Set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer to the ice bath, let chill for 3 minutes, then drain. Peel the fava beans of their outer skins and place in a clean bowl.
Drain the hominy and transfer to a large pot. Fill the pot with water so that it’s covering the hominy by 3 inches, then lightly salt the water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours, checking the pot regularly and continuing to top off with water as needed, so that the hominy is submerged at all times. When the hominy is soft and most of the kernels (90 percent) have burst, it is ready.
