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I like just about all foods. I especially love the foods from Central and South America. Most notably South America, but that's only because I've been eating them my entire life. For those not in the know I am Colombian-American. My father and mother met and fell in love (and subsequently produced yours truly) while my mother was serving in the Peace Corps in Colombia, living with my father's family.
Now, I may be very picky when it comes to Latin food, but that's only because I've had the real thing. Even if I believe (call it genetic) that Colombian cooking is the best thing out there, I still enjoy real Mexican and other Central and South American dishes.
Tonight was my night to teach the boys how to make real corn tortillas. And, being me, I of course made slow pulled lime and cilantro pork, greens, rice, and slow cooked black beans to go along with our meal. For the heck of it I decided to make horchata (a sweetened rice drink that I could just barley remember how to make from watching my mother as a child).The salsa came from a jar (I'm ashamed to say), but only because I neglected to pick up the right ingredients on the way home today. It's also my partner's favorite brand, so occasionally I am capable of compromise.
The pork was cake walk. After all, that's what a slow cooker is for. Set it up the night before to marinade and plug it in before you go to work in the morning. I can not describe to you just how wonderful it is to come home to a house smelling like my Abuela's after a long day of work. That to me is comfort food.
The tortillas came latter, I waited for my sons to get home so that I could show them just how to make them. They know how to make empanadas and arepas from their Colombian Aunt and Grandmother, but they've never made home made tortillas. No better time like the present!
Beans and greens I prefer with pork as well, and so does my family. It imparts more flavor and is much more traditional. I don't use a lot of bacon for flavoring, only about one slice for both dishes as it is more to render the fat of the bacon to use in sauteing the onions and garlic that go in to the bean and greens dishes.
The most time consuming dishes from the above were really only the slow pulled pork and black beans. Everything else is simple and can be done and brought together in less than an hour if you break everything down in to components. Like I said before, slow cookers are a must for any long cooking meat. They also bring out more of the flavors of meat and you can save a lot of money with using large chunks of tough hard to cook protein. I also end up having several days of left overs for my partner to take to work or our boys to eat after school.
Here are a few recipes to get you started. A good internet search will bring you more of course but these are the most similar to the ones I used tonight.
Horchata:
1 C cooked rice
6 C water
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick cinnamon (or use 2 tsp cinnamon)
½ C sugar
Blend the cooked rice with some of the water until very fine. Place this plus the rest of the water and the rest of the ingredients into a sauce pan and heat till just bellow boiling. Pull from heat, strain, chill if desired and serve.
Pulled Lime and Cilantro Pork
4 lb pork but or shoulder
1 bunch cilantro
2 tbs salt
1 C lime juice
water to cover all but top 2” of pork
It is easiest to use a slow cooker and marinate the pork overnight before setting it to cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you do not have a slow cooker you can use your oven at 300 deg and place all of the ingredients into a large oven roasting pan (similar to what you cook turkey in). If employing this method make sure to tightly seal the roasting pan with tin foil to keep the heat and moisture in.
Place cilantro on top of pork roast, salt, add the lime juice, and water. Slow cook for 6-8 hours or until fork tender and falling apart.
Corn Tortillas
2 C Masa Harina flour (NOT cornmeal, they are two completely different animals)
1 ¼ – 1 ½ C hot water
pinch of salt
Mix the above and let sit 5 minutes. Start working the dough with your hands until you have a smooth consistent ball. Prepare a hot griddle or pan (cast iron works the best), also prepare paper towels or a clean dish towel to place the warm tortillas in as you make them to keep them fresh and warm.
Pinch off about a golf ball size of dough at a time and roll it into a ball. You can use a tortilla press or a heavy bottom dish to press the ball into the tortilla shape between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper.
Peeling off the wrap place the flattened dough on the hot griddle and toast 30 seconds, flipping it over to toast 30 seconds more, and finishing with about 40-60 seconds once more on the first side. All in all, it will be able 2 minutes of cooking time. Slide each hot tortilla into your towels to keep warm while you work your way through all the dough.
Now, I may be very picky when it comes to Latin food, but that's only because I've had the real thing. Even if I believe (call it genetic) that Colombian cooking is the best thing out there, I still enjoy real Mexican and other Central and South American dishes.
Tonight was my night to teach the boys how to make real corn tortillas. And, being me, I of course made slow pulled lime and cilantro pork, greens, rice, and slow cooked black beans to go along with our meal. For the heck of it I decided to make horchata (a sweetened rice drink that I could just barley remember how to make from watching my mother as a child).The salsa came from a jar (I'm ashamed to say), but only because I neglected to pick up the right ingredients on the way home today. It's also my partner's favorite brand, so occasionally I am capable of compromise.
The pork was cake walk. After all, that's what a slow cooker is for. Set it up the night before to marinade and plug it in before you go to work in the morning. I can not describe to you just how wonderful it is to come home to a house smelling like my Abuela's after a long day of work. That to me is comfort food.
The tortillas came latter, I waited for my sons to get home so that I could show them just how to make them. They know how to make empanadas and arepas from their Colombian Aunt and Grandmother, but they've never made home made tortillas. No better time like the present!
Beans and greens I prefer with pork as well, and so does my family. It imparts more flavor and is much more traditional. I don't use a lot of bacon for flavoring, only about one slice for both dishes as it is more to render the fat of the bacon to use in sauteing the onions and garlic that go in to the bean and greens dishes.
The most time consuming dishes from the above were really only the slow pulled pork and black beans. Everything else is simple and can be done and brought together in less than an hour if you break everything down in to components. Like I said before, slow cookers are a must for any long cooking meat. They also bring out more of the flavors of meat and you can save a lot of money with using large chunks of tough hard to cook protein. I also end up having several days of left overs for my partner to take to work or our boys to eat after school.
Here are a few recipes to get you started. A good internet search will bring you more of course but these are the most similar to the ones I used tonight.
Horchata:
1 C cooked rice
6 C water
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick cinnamon (or use 2 tsp cinnamon)
½ C sugar
Blend the cooked rice with some of the water until very fine. Place this plus the rest of the water and the rest of the ingredients into a sauce pan and heat till just bellow boiling. Pull from heat, strain, chill if desired and serve.
Pulled Lime and Cilantro Pork
4 lb pork but or shoulder
1 bunch cilantro
2 tbs salt
1 C lime juice
water to cover all but top 2” of pork
It is easiest to use a slow cooker and marinate the pork overnight before setting it to cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you do not have a slow cooker you can use your oven at 300 deg and place all of the ingredients into a large oven roasting pan (similar to what you cook turkey in). If employing this method make sure to tightly seal the roasting pan with tin foil to keep the heat and moisture in.
Place cilantro on top of pork roast, salt, add the lime juice, and water. Slow cook for 6-8 hours or until fork tender and falling apart.
Corn Tortillas
2 C Masa Harina flour (NOT cornmeal, they are two completely different animals)
1 ¼ – 1 ½ C hot water
pinch of salt
Mix the above and let sit 5 minutes. Start working the dough with your hands until you have a smooth consistent ball. Prepare a hot griddle or pan (cast iron works the best), also prepare paper towels or a clean dish towel to place the warm tortillas in as you make them to keep them fresh and warm.
Pinch off about a golf ball size of dough at a time and roll it into a ball. You can use a tortilla press or a heavy bottom dish to press the ball into the tortilla shape between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper.
Peeling off the wrap place the flattened dough on the hot griddle and toast 30 seconds, flipping it over to toast 30 seconds more, and finishing with about 40-60 seconds once more on the first side. All in all, it will be able 2 minutes of cooking time. Slide each hot tortilla into your towels to keep warm while you work your way through all the dough.
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Other than that, must admit it was truly a fabulous meal. Very nummy.