green shrimp and scallop posole

you know those recipes that you

see, pull and stash for months

or even years, waiting for the

right night or occasion?

(we all know i've done that

once or, ok, many times.)

well, what happens if

before you get around to

making it, someone else unknowingly

makes it for you? and what happens

if that someone happens to be

your husband and it is more

delicious than you had imagined?

well, then you are lucky.

as lucky as i was wednesday night,

when i was asked to pick up

a can of hominy and then was

greeted by this show-stopping

vision:

perfect mise en place.

i actually clapped with joy

at the sight -

vegetables, chopped

and separated into

ready-to-cook

piles.

i had to take a picture.

then, i did something that

i regret.

i left the room.

i had things to do and

clearly, he had everything

under control (see: picture).

i knew he was making a posole,

but that was it, information-wise.

i did not walk back in until

he was ladling the lovely-smelling

soup into bowls and sprinkling

them with freshly chopped cilantro.

i grabbed another picture.

i wish i had stayed in the kitchen

the whole time, taking pictures

and watching the meal

come to life, because

let me tell you:

the end result was unbelievable.

slightly spicy and briny,

thanks to the clam juice

and tomatillo salsa base,

textured with earthy hominy

and onions

and brimming with

shrimp and sea scallops.

one bite in, i realized two things:

this was the posole recipe i pulled

from bon appetit years ago and

this is probably my favorite thing

larry has ever made.

he's made good things before.

and great things, too.

but, this? this i would go back

to a restaurant for and order again

on the repeat visit.

next time,

i would just

take more pictures.

green shrimp and scallop posole

adapted from bon appetit magazine

larry followed the recipe very closely - he only modified two things. first, he used sun-dried tomatoes that were not packed in oil, they plumped up just the same once heated and simmered. (although, for me, the sun-dried tomatoes at all, are optional.) second, he reduced the scallops - which he cooked perfectly, i will add - to only 1/2 pound without adverse results. i've incorporated his changes, below.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion (if i did this, i would probably just use all of a medium-to-large onion)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 cups (or more) bottled clam juice

1 can (15 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed

1 cup salsa verde (tomatillo salsa), medium or mild

2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

1 pound uncooked large shrimp (they looked to me 18-22 count), peeled and deveined

1/2 pound large sea scallops, halved horizontally

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided (i think he may have used more)

in large deep skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil. add onion; cook 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. add garlic and cook 30 seconds more, stirring constantly. add 3 cups clam juice, hominy, salsa verde, sun-dried tomatoes and lime peel to the skillet. bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

add shrimp, scallops and cilantro to the broth, adding more clam juice to thin, if necessary. simmer 3 minutes, or just until seafood is just opaque in the center. season with salt and pepper, if desired. divide amongst bowls; sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro.