Pork Posole with Lime and avocado

Serves 8.

From "Year-Round Slow Cooker," by Dina Cheney.

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 6 black peppercorns

• 4 whole cloves

• 2 tsp. coarse salt

• 20 grinds black pepper

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

•1 tsp. dried oregano

• 4 ½ lb. bone-in pork shoulder (after removing all excess fat)

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 2 (15-oz.) cans white hominy, rinsed and drained

• 2 red onions, halved and cut into ¼-in.-thick slices

• 8 whole cloves garlic

• 1 ¼ c. low-sodium chicken stock

• 1 c. coarsely chopped husked tomatillos (about 3)

• 3/4 c. pulp-free orange juice

• ½ c. fresh-squeezed strained lime juice

• ¼ c. coarsely chopped canned jalapenos

• 3 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

• ½ c. sliced green onions (about 3 to 4)

• ½ c. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

•1 lime, cut into eighths

• Tortilla chips

Directions

Place the bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves on a small piece of cheesecloth, bundle up into a "purse" and secure with a piece of kitchen twine. Place in the slow cooker.

Combine salt, pepper, cumin and oregano in a small bowl. Rub spices all over the trimmed pork. Heat the oil in a 10-inch, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add meat and cook on the first side until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to slow cooker and pour hominy on top and around it.

Add onions and garlic to hot pan and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add stock, tomatillos, orange and lime juices and jalapeños and raise heat to high. Cook, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes. Pour over pork-hominy mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until pork is tender and cooked through, about 8½ hours.

Carefully remove meat from slow cooker and place on cutting board. Remove and discard spice bag. Discard any bones or gummy cartilage and shred meat. Return shredded meat to slow cooker and mix into liquid. Divide stew among serving bowls, and top each portion with diced avocado, green onions, cilantro, lime and chips.