Tag: Central American

Pork Tinga with Tostadas
Central American · Recipes

Pork Tinga with Tostadas

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img_4310These are excellent served in a variety of ways: tacos, tostadas or over rice. I truly enjoy serving them with diced avocado or guacamole. Because you need about 1 1/2 hours to cook down the pork, this is a great weekend family meal.

You will need:

  • Tostadas (hom-eade or storebought).
  • 2 lbs boneless pork butt roast, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 onions – 1 quartered, 1 diced
  • 5 garlic cloves – 3 peeled & smashed, 2 minced
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tbs minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 avocado, halved, pitted, diced
  • 2 oz queso fresco, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • lime wedges
  • salt and pepper

Step one:

In a large sauce pan, bring 6 cups water, pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic, thyme and 1 tsp salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover, cook until pork is tender (1.5 -2 hours).

Step two:

Drain the pork, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Throw away onion, garlic, thyem. Return the pork the saucepan and mash it with a potato masher or shred with two forks.

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Heat oil in a  skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano, shredded pork, chopped onion and cook until the pork is brown and crisp (around 7 minutes). Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, chipotle, bay leaves, reserved pork liquid and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro and limes.

 

Shrimp Diabla
Central American · Recipes

Shrimp Diabla

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img_8466This is spicy and absolutely delicious served with rice and avocado. Feel free to cut back on the amount of chiles in order to dial back the heat.

You will need:

  • 2 jalapeños, diced or 8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn in to pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 2 Tbs olive oil, plus extra as needed
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbs minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 lbs extra large shrimp (21-25’s) peeled & deveined
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbs lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
  • A dutch oven, or enameled cast iron pot, if possible.

Step one:

Toast guajillos in dutch oven over medium heat. Stir frequently to release fragrance for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. (If you do not have guajillos, skip this step and add chopped jalapenos to step two)*.

Step two:

Heat oil in now empty dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chipotle, oregano, and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, water and toasted guarillos*/jalapeños; bring to a simmer and cook until chiles are soft, around 10 minutes.

Step three:

Transfer the mixture into a blender and process until smooth – 30 seconds. Return sauce to the pot and stir in shrimp. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until shrimp are opaque and cooked, 5-7 minutes. Stir cilantro and lime juice into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with extra cilantro and lime over cilantro-lime rice.

Seared Shrimp with Avocado and Tomatoes
Central American · Recipes · Spanish

Seared Shrimp with Avocado and Tomatoes

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img_8502

This is a very refreshing summer dish, especially if you have fresh, ripe tomatoes. This is mildly spicy. If you want to adjust heat, add less chipotles in adobo sauce. The avocado pairs perfectly with the texture and flavors of the dish.

You will need:

  • 1 lb fresh tomatoes, diced
  • 1 shallot or 6 scallions, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • 1.5 lbs extra large shrimp (21-25’s), peeled and deveined
  • 1/8 tsp sugar (or a pinch)
  • 2 tbs canola oil
  • 1 tbs lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
  • 1 avocado, halved and pitted, diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Step one:

Toss tomatoes, shallot/scallion whites*, cilantro, garlic, chipotle and 3/4 tsp salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss shrimp with sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

 

Step two:

Heat 2 tbs oil in a skillet over high heat – your goal is to sear the shrimp, so a good quality skillet is preferred. Add shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook, without moving them, until slightly brown (seared) on 1 side. No more than 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to a large bowl (they will be undercooked – this is okay).

Step three:

Add tomato mixture to the skillet and cook on high in the remaining shrimp juices. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the shrimp with accumulated juices and cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 1-2 minutes.

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Step four:

Transfer shrimp to a platter and add avocado. Serve with additional cilantro, scallion greens and lime wedges.