Slow-Cooked Carnitas

Ah, pulled pork, what’s not to love?? My husband requested carnitas on Saturday night and decided to go the easy route and cook the meat in the crock pot instead of in the oven. I dug into my recipe archive and came across several recipes, but this one clearly stood out as the least time consuming. There are a lot of crock pot meals that I think I could live without, but this is not one of them. After 5 minutes of prep time and six hours of slow cooking, this pork fell apart on contact. It was wonderful not only in our carnitas on Saturday night, but on our bbq pizza last night too!

Slow-Cooked Carnitas 
Adapted from epicurious.com
Serves 6

2 ½ lb pork loin, cut in to 1 ½ inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro
Sliced avocado
Hot sauce

Toss pork in bowl of slow cooker with salt, black pepper, cumin and dried oregano to coat. Place onion pieces atop pork. Cover slow cooker and cook pork on low setting until meat is very tender and falling apart, about 6 hours.

Using slotted spoon discard onion pieces. Using two forks, shred pork and then add the sugar and lime juice. Wrap corn tortillas in damp kitchen towel; microwave until warm, about 1 minute. Serve pork with warm tortillas, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce.

Steak Tacos

As most of you know by now, Mexican food is a favorite of mine.  I love just about any form of tacos, rice, beans, guacamole… whether it is traditionally prepared or newly deconstructed  I can assure you my plate is always clean when the menu is featuring something south of the border.  Finding a good steak taco recipe proved to be a little challenging, but finally I have found a keeper!  This “jam” that accompanies the steak is really what makes this dish special, so the freshest ingredients should be used.  Also, make sure your pan is hot so you sear that rub on the steak, it makes all the difference!  

Steak Tacos with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce

adapted from Bon Appétit 

serves 4

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 1 1/4-pound top sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, diced
3/4 pound plum tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

8 flour tortillas

1 small avocado, sliced
1 lime quartered
Sour cream and queso fresco

Rub cumin and chili powder onto both sides of steak, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to skillet and sauté until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium an add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cilantro. Cook until tomatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cut steak crosswise into thin slices. Arrange slices on platter. Mix any steak juices into sauce. Spoon sauce over steak and assemble tacos with your favorite toppings.  

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos

I love, love, love the combination of fresh cilantro and lime. These two ingredients are staples on my grocery list as they are often the foundation of marinades or side dishes in my weekly meals. It is amazing what fresh herbs and citrus can do! For this recipe, I used frozen 31-40 count peeled and deveined shrimp and marinated them for 30 minutes prior to cooking them. I do not advise marinating them much longer than this because the lime juice will actually “cook” the shrimp…hello ceviche! I assembled the slaw earlier in the day to allow time for the flavors to blend. When it was time to prepare dinner, it took all of 10 minutes to pull it together!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos
Adapted from Closet Cooking
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon oil
½ jalapeño, finely diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1 large handful chopped cilantro
1 tsp teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
4-6 flour tortillas
Cilantro lime slaw (see recipe below)
Sliced avocado

Directions:
Marinate the shrimp in the lime, oil, jalapeno, garlic, green onion, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper for 30 minutes in a sealed container in the fridge.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add the shrimp and  cook until the shrimp is done, about 1-2 minutes per side. (The shrimp will have turned pink and no longer be translucent.)
Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven and fill with the shrimp, slaw and slices of avocado.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

Ingredients
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups of shredded cabbage


Directions
Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, celery salt, vinegar, and lime juice together in a bowl. . Stir in cilantro. Add cabbage; toss to incorporate evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Mexican Rice Salad

This rice and bean salad is one of my all time favorites. I love it because it truly gets better the longer it sits, so I can make it a day in advance!  This is a great use for the left over rice that is in your refrigerator and can be made with anything you have on hand, so feel free to throw in some fresh corn, jalapeños, or anything else that you would like.  The lime juice and cilantro should be fresh for the best results.  I used to mix the “vinaigrette” separately, but now I just mix everything together in one bowl.  Saves and step and one less bowl to clean!  This salad is best served at room temperature.  

Mexican Rice Salad
4 side dish servings


Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice (I prefer Basmati)

1 can black beans- drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin
dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of hot sauce (I use Texas Pete)

½ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons of red onion, shallot or green onions

Juice of one lime give or take

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped tomato or avocado (optional)

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together and let them sit for at least one hour, but preferably longer.  

Enchiladas Verde

Today I have another use for the rotisserie chicken that might be in your refrigerator.  If you do not have one, I would run out and pick one up to make these enchiladas because they are delicious!  I have two methods for making these, either ready to eat or in advance.  

If I am serving them for a dinner party, then I will make the salsa and chicken mixture up to a day in advance and bring them to room temperature prior to rolling the enchiladas.  When making in advance, I use the small flour tortillas as they will not crack like the corn tortillas do.  Once they are rolled up, I cover them with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator until I am ready to cook them.  Once again, it is better to bring everything to room temperature prior to putting them in the oven.   When ready, add the remaining salsa, cheese, and chili power and bake at 425 until bubbling (around 20 minutes).

When making these ready to eat, I will use corn tortillas.  Still heat them in the microwave, roll them up, and then cover them with the remaining salsa, cheese, and chili powder.   Bake at 425 for about 15-20 minutes or until bubbling.  I have made these countless times over the years and they are a hit every time!

Chicken Enchiladas Verde
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 1 small onion chopped
• ¼+  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces  salsa verde ( I like the Herdez brand)
• 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast (I use rotisserie with skin removed)
• 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 8  (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
•  Cooking spray
• Crumbled queso fresco, pepperjack or monterey jack
• 1/2  teaspoon  chili powder
• 4 Lime wedges
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chicken and cream cheese in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa mixture. **Reserve remaining salsa mixture.

Wrap the tortillas in a dish towel and warm them in the microwave.  Spoon chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. 

Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco (pepper jack or monetary jack cheese) and chili powder. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges.