The best way to weed through my bloated recipe file is to randomly choose and cook. I plucked this 2003 recipe from Food and Wine for Black Beans and Hominy Stew, which reminds me of the stew that I made from the Momofuku pork butt leftovers. A faster from-the-ground-up version, this recipes uses smoked ham cut in cubes instead of shredded pork, something that I was a bit skeptical about. The best thing about a stew like this is the way that shredded tender pork falls apart and gives itself to the stew in flavor and texture. My doubts were confirmed, the cubes of ham floated around like spongy little life rafts in a sea of thick black beans and hominy, there was no integration, only isolation. It’s a small detail, but it makes all the difference. Disappointed, I realize that it’s okay not to like a recipe that I’ve hung on to for six years. That’s what editing is all about.
