Hominy, Bacon, Cheese, and Chiles Casserole

I brought this casserole to a going away potluck Thursday night. Not one bite came home with me. Just the empty dish. Several people at this potluck told me they had never heard of hominy. This surprised me, for it shows how far away some are from their roots in the South. These people, who have never heard of hominy, were the descendants of slaves who became free men and women. Who farmed and raised their own sorghum, their own sweet potatoes, who celebrated at hog-killing time. Edna Lewis, in "The Taste of Country Cooking", describes how her Aunt Jennie Hailstalk turned dried corn to hominy with fire, lye, and ashes. Dorie Sanders, in "Country Cooking" writes " Hominy was long the backbone of rural cooking in the South".


Here is my recipe-


2 15 ounce cans of white or yellow hominy.

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 to 1 cup of grated cheese, depending on how cheesy you want the casserole. I used a combination of Mexican Farmers' cheese and Jarlsberg, because I had them on hand. Monterrey Jack or cheddar would have worked. (But not, I think, any strong European cheese such as Parmesan.)

6 strips of crispy bacon, diced up.

1 4 ounce can of diced mild green chilis.

Salt, a little to taste

A shake or two of Adobo seasoning- optional


A 10 inch Pyrex pie dish or a 9 inch square casserole dish



Drain the 30 ounces of hominy well. Spread half the hominy in the dish, then add a layer of half the cheese, the chiles, and the bacon. Dot sour cream around on top of the layer. Lightly salt, if desired or flavor with a few shakes of Adobo. Then add the rest of the hominy and top with the remaining ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes -just long enough to heat through and melt the cheese.