Cuban pork with rice and beans
Cuban friends = great Cuban food. It all started at a book signing party for a friend of mine who had recently published a book. I told her I would make something in her honor for the party. I bravely made Cuban sandwiches, even though I knew it was a discerning audience! Thankfully the sandwiches were a hit, and ever since I am forced to make them for every occasion.
This inspired me to stretch my horizons with Cuban food and embrace a classic: Pork with rice and beans. Now, if I could only speak Spanish. All my Cuban friends speak Spanish to me as I stare blankly at them. Because I look a bit Spanish, they feel I should understand the language (unfortunately I do not...)!
2 T. olive oil
8 pound Pork shoulder (butt of the shoulder)
2 T. ground cumin
4 T. salt / pepper to taste
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 t. dried oregano
2 heads of chopped garlic. ( approx. 20 heads)
1 T. ground thyme
1 cup orange juice
2 T. lime juice
1/2 cup wine
This is a crock pot recipe for me. I like cooking a pork shoulder long and slow. Rub the pork on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear in large saute pan with olive oil on all sides until carmelized and a little crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. On medium heat add the wine and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan and stir with a wisk for 2 minutes. Add the lime juice and orange juice. Simmer for 1 minute to combine. Meanwhile sprinkle all remaining herbs on both sides of pork and rub it in. Put pork into large crock pot or a baking dish and finish by pouring the simmered juice and wine mixture onto the pork. Cook in crock pot on low for 6 hours to 8 hours. If bake in oven use a thermometer to determine when pork is cooked through. Bake on 350 until internal temperature is 160 degrees. When finished cooking, pull apart meat and serve topped with fresh cilantro and rice and beans below.
Easy Rice and beans:
1 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 t. garlic
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/4 t. black pepper
4 t. lime juice
3 cup cooked rice ( I like jasmine or yellow rice)
2 t. salt
1 jar of White Queso sauce
2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
1T. chopped hot pepper of choice ( if you like heat)
Saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Cook on medium heat until transparent. Add chicken stock cooked rice and seasonings. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add beans and all remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1 minute to bring all the flavors together. Finally, Add Queso sauce and serve topped with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
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