Carnitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Traditional carnitas, Mexico’s version of pulled pork, is fried in gallons of lard or oil. The results are tasty, but who wants to deal with all that hot fat? We wanted t...(more)

Like the best barbecue, Mexico’s version of pulled pork offers fall-apart chunks of crisp meat—but without the hassle of tending a fire.

Serves 6
We like serving carnitas spooned into tacos, but you can also use it as a filling for tamales, enchiladas, and burritos.

INGREDIENTS
Pork
1(3 1/2-to 4-pound) boneless pork butt , fat cap trimmed to 1/8 inch thick, cut into 2-inch chunks
1teaspoon ground cumin
1small onion , peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1teaspoon dried oregano
2tablespoons juice from 1 lime
2cups water
1medium orange , halved
Tortillas and Garnishes
18(6-inch) corn tortillas , warmed
  Lime wedges
  Minced white or red onion
  Fresh cilantro leaves
  Thinly sliced radishes
  Sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice, and water in large Dutch oven (liquid should just barely cover meat). Juice orange into medium bowl and remove any seeds (you should have about 1/3 cup juice). Add juice and spent orange halves to pot. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until meat is soft and falls apart when prodded with fork, about 2 hours, flipping pieces of meat once during cooking.
2. Remove pot from oven and turn oven to broil. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl; remove orange halves, onion, and bay leaves from cooking liquid and discard (do not skim fat from liquid). Place pot over high heat (use caution, as handles will be very hot) and simmer liquid, stirring frequently, until thick and syrupy (heatsafe spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), 8 to 12 minutes. You should have about 1 cup reduced liquid.
3. Using 2 forks, pull each piece of pork in half. Fold in reduced liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread pork in even layer on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet or on broiler pan (meat should cover almost entire surface of rack or broiler pan). Place baking sheet on lower-middle rack and broil until top of meat is well browned (but not charred) and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip pieces of meat and continue to broil until top is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and garnishes.
TECHNIQUE
DON'T CUT THE FAT
Leaving a 1/8-inch layer of fat on the pork is critical to imparting the best flavor and texture to the final dish. Overtrimming the meat will lead to dry, bland carnitas.

Zarela's Creamy Rice

Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate with my son, chef and Food Network star, Aaron Sanchez

Ingredients
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups converted rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
• 2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 (16 ounce) can corn
• 1/2 lb grated white cheddar cheese
Directions

Bring water to a boil and add butter and salt. When the butter is melted add the rice and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover the rice with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, Take rice out of the saucepan and spread on a baking sheet to cool or allow to cool in the pan uncovered.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream with the 1/4 cup chopped onion and cilantro and add salt to taste.

Heat the lard in a frying pan and add the 1/2 cup chopped onion and garlic.

Dice the poblanos and add to pan when the onion is wilted.

Saute for one minute.

Let cool and combine with the rice.

Drain the can of corn well and add to the cool rice and poblano mixture.

Add the sour cream mixture and mix in the grated cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through in a 350 degree oven.

If using a Pyrex dish, the oven temperature should be 325 degrees

Pollo Verde Fajitas

1 rotisserie chicken picked, meat shredded (save carcass for making your own chicken stock)
reserve the juices in the bottom of the chicken container (fat skimmed)
1 16 oz bottle salsa verde
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. cumin (to taste)
2 poblano/pasilla chilis sliced thinly,seeds and veins removed. (you may substitute bell peppers, but I highly recommend the poblano)
2 onions sliced thinly (pole to pole)
shredded cheese (optional)
limes
sour cream
cilantro
salt and pepper

Heat a saute pan on med-high heat until very hot. Add some vegetable oil and saute the peppers and onions until crisp tender. Don't move them around too much; let them caramelize and char a bit. Meanwhile, combine salsa verde, chicken stock, chicken drippings, and cumin in a medium sauce pan. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and let reduce until slightly thickened. Season to taste with cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add chiken to sauce and heat through.

Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, and hot sauce.

Café Rio Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Café Rio Tomatillo Salad Dressing

5 tomatillos -husk peeled off, washed and quartered (they are naturally sticky under the husks)
1 pkg. Buttermilk Ranch dressing mix (must be buttermilk or it doesn't taste right)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. brown sugar
5 slices bottled jalapeno (nacho sized slices)
1 T. Jalapeno juice
Juice of ½ a lime
1/8 tsp. chili powder

Combine all ingredients in blender. Serve over a taco salad.

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Fresh Salsa

4 lbs Roma Tomatoes
2 lbs Tomatillos
1 med. yellow onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 jalapenos peppers (remove seeds if you want a mild salsa)
1 bunch cilantro (cut half of the stems off)
1/2 of a lemon juice
1/2 of a lime juice
1 Tbls black pepper
1-2 Tbls salt
Put all ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to desired consistency.

Chile Quilles

Chile Quilles
½ large can Las Palmas green or red enchilada sauce
Jack or cheddar cheese
4 eggs, dash of milk, S&P
2-3 cups of tortilla chips (broken into medium pieces)
Cooked Sausage or bacon

Bring enchilada sauce to a simmer. Meanwhile scramble eggs gently on medium to low heat so as not to toughen the eggs. Cook eggs until softly set with most of the liquid evaporated and spread to an inch of the edges of the pan. Crush chips into medium pieces and add to enchilada sauce. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Top scrambled eggs with cooked sausage or bacon. Pour sauce and chips over eggs. Top with cheese, and put the lid on and let sit for 5 minutes off the heat.