Crispy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa →

This dish uses a combination of some of my favorite Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban recipes: Mexican Guacamole, Puerto Rican Pernil (slow-cooked pork shoulder), and Cuban Black Beans wrapped in a soft corn tortilla and topped with a tangy Pineapple Salsa. After preparing a meal for 10 of our friends, I used the leftovers to create this dish inspired by traditional Mexican Carnitas Tacos. I hope you can enjoy these dishes both times. Buen Provecho!

Crispy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of shredded Pernil
½ cup reserved juices from slow-cooking the Pernil
8 white corn tortillas
Pineapple Salsa
Guacamole crema
Pureed or well mashed Black Beans

PREPARATION
1. Prepare the Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:
2 cups finely chopped pineapple
½ cup diced sweet red pepper or cubanelle pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
½-1 Jalapeño pepper seeded and minced (suit your taste: ½ Jalapeño = mild heat)

Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate at least an hour for flavors to meld.

2. Prepare the Black Beans
Mash or puree 1 ½ cups of leftover Black Beans. You can use an immersion blender or food processor to make a creamy black bean puree. Re-heat in a small saucepan over low heat.

3. Prepare the Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 medium ripe Hass avocados, halved and pitted (see *Note)
1-2 tablespoons lime juice or more to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
2 teaspoons of minced fresh or bottled Jalapeño peppers

Preparation:
1. Use a spoon to scoop the avocado into a bowl or food processor.
2. Add the lime juice, minced Jalapeño, and salt and mix
3. Mash well or use a mini-food processor to make the guacamole very creamy
4. Cover and set aside.

4. Prepare the Crispy Shredded Pork Pernil
Preparation:
Preheat a cast iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the shredded pork along with the juices and fry over medium-high heat until the pork just begins to brown and get crispy. Lower the heat to medium, stir well, and continue to saute for another minute or so until the meat is well heated. If you cook it too long it will dry out.

5. Assemble the tacos
Preheat the oven to 250 F.
Preparation:
1. Working with two tortillas at a time, heat the tortillas on a hot skillet for about 1 minute per side. You want them hot and still flexible, not crisp
2. Spread about two tablespoons of the creamy black beans on each tortilla; top with the creamy Guacamole. Add the crispy shredded Pernil and top with the pineapple salsa. Keep the tacos warm covered with tin foil in the oven while you assemble the rest of your tacos.
3. Serve with leftover Yellow Rice.

Cuban Sandwich (Cubano) →

Tangy, rich, spicy, chewy, crunchy, and gooey...let me count the ways I love a Cubano. The origin of the Cuban sandwich (Cubano) is a hotly debated topic within the Cuban American community, especially between the communities in Tampa and Miami. There is some agreement that the original template for the Cubano came from the indigenous Taino people of Cuba. Like so many dishes that persist over time and are adopted by different cultures, the Cubano has evolved over time from the Taino “sandwich” made with cassava bread stuffed with fish or fowl and local spices. When the Spaniards arrived in Cuba, they introduced pork and ham and yeast dough bread. It is widely believed that the Cubano was first introduced to the United States by Cuban cigar workers in the 1800s who carried the Cuban sandwich in their lunch boxes. The addition of mustard, pickles, and different kinds of cheeses was possibly introduced by other immigrants working alongside the Cubans. In Tampa, the Cubano has salami in it, which is vigorously derided by the Cubans in Miami who claim their version is the original. Who knows? There is agreement that Florida made the Cubano famous. Apart from the addition of salami or not, the classic modern Cubano uses Cuban bread that is light on the inside and somewhat crusty on the outside, like a French baguette, but with the addition of lard and the flavor of palmetto leaf to the ingredients. The traditional Cubano is filled with mojo roasted pulled pork (similar to Puerto Rican Pernil), thinly sliced ham, mustard, sliced cheese, and sliced dill pickle. The sandwich is assembled, slathered with butter, and fried weighted down on a hot griddle (a la plancha) until the cheese has melted and the bread crust is crisp.

Here in rural western Massachusetts, authentic Cuban bread is difficult if not impossible to find, so I had to adapt. This is the way I make a Cubano.

INGREDIENTS
a French Batard sliced lengthwise,
left-over pulled pork (Pernil),
sliced ham,
Swiss cheese,
Dijon mustard (in place of yellow mustard),
some mild marinated banana peppers,
and a slice of dill pickle.

METHOD
1. Once the sandwich is assembled, depending on how true you choose to be to the classic Cubano method, you can butter the crust of the bread and fry it on a heavy skillet, and weighted down with a second skillet on top (a panini grill also works well) about five minutes per side until the cheese melts and the crust is crisp.
2. Alternatively, you can butter and fry the inside face of the sliced bread until it’s browned and crusty.
3. Coat the browned side of the bread with mustard, heap on the pork, ham, and peppers, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese.
4. Pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted, place the pickle on top, and add the top piece of browned bread. Instead of the traditional “flat” Cubano, this gives you a “tall” Cubano. Either way, that’s a delicious sandwich! Buen provecho!

Pernil- Puerto Rican Roast Pork Shoulder →

I was first introduced to Puerto Rican Pernil years ago when I worked with immigrant and migrant adult learners in Latino communities in western Massachusetts. Marinated in orange and lime juices, cilantro, and lots of garlic, this slow-cooked pork shoulder dish is a staple at any family or pot-luck community gathering, especially at Christmas. It is one of my favorite dishes and is traditionally served accompanied by yellow rice with pigeon peas and pinto or pink beans. I’m partial to Cuban Black Beans and because I don’t always have pigeon peas in my larder, I often make my Yellow Rice with easier to find local green peas more in the style of Spanish Paella. Buen provecho!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020

Pernil- Puerto Rican Roast Pork Shoulder
Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

• 9 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped oregano

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and pepper

• a 5-pound, boneless pork shoulder roast with fat cap. (a thick fat cap with skin is optional, but you do want a layer of fat to help flavor the roast and yield the delicious crunchy crust)

• Lime wedges, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large, sturdy resealable plastic bag, combine the cilantro, orange and lime juices, garlic, oregano, olive oil, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the pork shoulder, seal the bag, and turn to coat. Transfer the bag to a large baking dish and refrigerate the pork overnight, turning the bag once or twice.

2. Remove the pork from the marinade and scrape off the garlic and herbs; discard the marinade. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a large enameled cast-iron casserole or roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°. Roast the pork fat side up for 1 hour, until lightly browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 300° and roast for 4-5 hours longer (see *Note), or until the pork is very tender and the fat cap is crispy; transfer to a carving board and let rest covered for 30 minutes. Chop the fat cap into bite-size pieces. Carve, shred or pull apart the pork and garnish with the crispy cap pieces. Serve with lime wedges.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020

Make-Ahead: the roast pork can be refrigerated overnight; rewarm, covered with foil in a 300° oven for 30-45 minutes.

*Note: if you don’t have a large enameled cast-iron casserole like a large dutch oven, use a roasting pan and cover the meat with aluminum foil for the last two hours. After 5 hours check to see if the roast tears apart easily with a fork or knife (like braised meat). If it does not, return it to the oven for another hour and check again.

Wine pairing: Beaujolais-Villages or other medium to lighter bodied red wine complement this dish. If you want a white wine, you can also try a Dry Riesling or Viognier.

Adapted from the source: Jose Enrique-Garlicky Roast Pork Shoulder