pork

Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites (Pinchos Morunos)

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Tonight for a quick dinner I mixed together the spices in the morning and pulled a pork tenderloin from the freezer.  I buy them on sale, so it is a very inexpensive dinner.  Trying to keep the carbs down a little, I served it over cauliflower rice which I made from a head of cauliflower I had in the refrigerator.  I cooked it in a little ghee to give it a slight butter flavor.

The combination of spice and sauce made the entire meal delicious.  It was fast and very easy to make.  I grow my own herbs, so always have a fresh supply.

Pork

We usually prefer the flavor we get from grinding whole spices ourselves, but in this recipe, we found preground worked. Cutting the pork tenderloin into 1- to 1½-inch cubes produced more surface area, allowing the spice rub to quickly penetrate and season the meat. (Any smaller and the meat cooked too quickly)

INGREDIENTS
  • 1½ TEASPOONS GROUND CORIANDER
  • 1½ TEASPOONS GROUND CUMIN
  • 1½ TEASPOONS SMOKED PAPRIKA
  • ¾ TEASPOON EACH KOSHER SALT AND COARSELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
  • 1 POUND PORK TENDERLOIN, TRIMMED AND CUT INTO 1- TO 1½-INCH PIECES
  • 1 TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE, PLUS LEMON WEDGES FOR SERVING
  • 1 TABLESPOON HONEY
  • 1 LARGE GARLIC CLOVE, FINELY GRATED
  • 2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
  • 1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH OREGANO

In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until just smoking. Add the meat in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Off the heat, pour the lemon juice-garlic mixture over the meat and toss to evenly coat, then transfer to a serving platter.

Sprinkle the oregano over the pork and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites (Pinchos Morunos)

Mushroom & Pork Meatballs with Broccolini Rice

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Screen Shot 2018-01-31 at 4.40.56 PM

Made this last night for dinner.  I only had thinly sliced Brussel Sprouts, so used them in place of the diced broccolini.  It was a wonderful dinner.

How to Make Mushroom and Pork Meatballs with Broccolini Rice
Instead of roasting a whole pork tenderloin or slicing and searing, try giving it a coarse chop in the food processor for incredibly rich and tender meatballs. Because the pork is so lean, the meatballs cook in just 8 minutes.
Prep Time . 35 Mins . Total Time . 35 Mins
Serves 4 (serving size: about 6 meatballs, 1/4 cup sauce, and 1 cup Broccolini mixture)
EMILY NABORS HALL

Instead of roasting a whole pork tenderloin or slicing and searing, try giving it a coarse chop in the food processor for incredibly rich and tender meatballs. Because the pork is so lean, the meatballs cook in just 8 minutes. Broccolini, a cousin of broccoli, have long stalks and small buds; they’ll add plenty of texture to the rice mixture once sautéed and chopped. Sriracha can be found in any grocery store and is worth keeping in your pantry. The chile kick and vinegar tang can perk up tacos, noodle soups, and stir-fries.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 oz.)
  • 10 ounces pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
  • 6 tablespoons whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1 bunch Broccolini, finely chopped
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 2 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)

How to Make It

Step 1

Place mushrooms and pork in a food processor; pulse 15 to 20 times or until finely chopped. Place pork mixture in a bowl with panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and egg; stir to combine. Divide and shape pork mixture into 24 meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each).

Step 2

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add Broccolini; cook 2 minutes. Place sautéed Broccolini in a bowl; set aside.

Step 3

Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add meatballs; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

Step 4

Combine 3/4 cup chicken stock, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Sriracha in a bowl; add to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until meatballs are done. Combine remaining 1/4 cup stock and cornstarch in a bowl; stir into meatball mixture. Cook 1 minute or until sauce is thickened.

Step 5

Heat rice according to package directions. Stir rice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar into sautéed Broccolini. Serve with meatball mixture.  I put 1.5 cups of brown rice in 2.5 cups of water in an 8 x 8 inch glass dish and cooked in the oven for an hour.  Think I need a new rice cooker. 

Mushroom & Pork Meatballs with Broccolini Rice

Asian Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw

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Asian Style pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw

The other day at the grocery store there was a package of pork at a very reduced price, so I grabbed it, never knowing exactly what I might make. It was getting past its prime so looked for a recipe online.

America’s Test Kitchen has yet to let me down for a good result, so this one looked interesting and it was very tasty.  My husband prefers flour tortillas, so I bought the fresh ones from our local Central Market, where they make them while you watch.  I have yet to find a good source for homemade corn tortillas.  If anyone has a local source please share it with me.

I threw the ingredients in the slow cooker about noon, and it was ready for dinner.  I have an All-Clad slow cooker that cooks much more evenly than any other I have used.  It is worth the extra money to have no burn spots.

Slow-Cooker Asian-Style Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear and Cucumber Slaw

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

This incredibly easy and multidimensional recipe features tender shredded pork, flavorful sauce, and a crunchy pickled slaw. We found that we could make a sauce and season our pork all at once by combining hoisin, ginger, and Sriracha in the slow cooker. Boneless country-style pork ribs were a great choice for the slow cooker; after a few hours of braising, they were moist and extra-tender. We let the cooked pork rest briefly before shredding it and stirring it back into the sauce. To add freshness and crunch to our tacos, we made a quick pickled slaw while the meat cooked. A simple combination of Asian pears, carrots, and cucumber tossed with rice vinegar provided the perfect balance to our rich taco filling. A little bit more sesame oil and Sriracha in the slaw brought together the flavors of the dish while keeping it light and fresh.

INGREDIENTS

2 Asian pears, peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup  hoisin sauce
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
1 ½ pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed of all visible fat
  Salt and pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
12 (6-inch)  corn tortillas, warmed

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Combine pears, carrots, cucumber, and vinegar in bowl; set aside until ready to serve.
  2. Microwave onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon oil, and ginger in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in hoisin, water, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha. Nestle pork into slow cooker, cover, and cook until pork is tender, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  3. Transfer pork to carving board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks, discarding excess fat. Stir shredded pork into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, remaining 1 teaspoon Sriracha, and cilantro to pear and cucumber slaw and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide shredded pork among warm tortillas and top with slaw. Serve.

 

Asian Pulled Pork Tacos with Pear & Cucumber Slaw