Al Pastor Pork Tacos Tulum

We were lucky enough to have tasted authentic tacos al Pastor in Tulum, Mexico - a most beautiful seashore town we recently visited. Made from thinly sliced pork roasted on a spit, they were delicious, and only 30 cents a piece! No pork on a spit at home, I'm sure - so use the next best thing - country ribs.

1 lb pork boneless country ribs

Dry Rub Mix:

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp HOT chili powder (add crushed red pepper flakes as needed!)

1/2 tsp cumin (sorry, Mexicans)

1 tsp coarse Kosher salt

1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 orange pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

about 3 cloves garlic, minced

about 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage, green or red

8 corn tortillas

1/2 cup salsa verde

1 cup favorite grated cheese - Monterrey Pepper Jack or a Mexican mix

Toss the ribs with the dry rub as soon before you cook as possible - a day in the refrigerator would be great; otherwise an hour or so works.

Preheat grill to high.

Sauté the peppers and onion in a skillet with the fennel seeds in a dash of olive oil over medium-low heat. You want the veggies to soften and caramelize well. This should take about 15 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Set veggies aside.

Grill the pork over high heat while the veggies cook. Remove pork to a cutting board when nicely browned and just cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes covered with foil.

While the pork cooks, toast the tortillas on a gas burner or on the grill until just browned on the edges.

Lay 2 tortillas on each of four plates and spread about a tablespoon salsa verde in center. Slice the pork and divide among the tortillas. Divide the peppers, cabbage and cheese to top. Serve with lime wedges and extra salsa verde on the side. Serves 4.

Tacos al Pastor, Tulum, Mexico

Mayan Ruins by the sea, Tulum, Mexico

Comments

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Rosemary Chimichurri

I am making this fresh aromatic condiment more and more often. It can be used as a topping for grilled meats, fish, and for many other flavoring opportunities. I now keep some in the refrigerator almost at all times. 4 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves large palmful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems 3 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes juice of 1/2 lime (or lemon), and the zest if you like 1/4 tsp salt fresh ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup olive oil Pulse the rosemary, cilantro and garlic in a small food processor (You could also use a mortar and pestle.) Tip into a small bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook’s Note: If you haven’t noticed, I love chimichurri sauce. It’s zesty, and full of aromatics. It goes on so many dishes and is a great ingredient for so many things. Make some and keep it in the fridge for inspiration. I use fresh rosemary and cilantro as my green herbs, but you could use oregano and parsley, which is also popular. Many peo...

Haddock Roasted with Aioli and Tomatoes

This is a simple yet suculent way to roast fish. Here I use haddock, but you could use most any fish including cod or tilapia, or as I did on the west coast, wild-caught Rockfish (delicious). The tomatoes offer a fresh flavor complement to the fish slathered with a rich aioli topping. This is a quick, easy way to prepare fish on a busy weeknight. 1-1/2 lb haddock fillet (Captain’s cut preferred - thicker), patted dry Aioli: 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a medium baking dish (about 7x10-inch). Lay haddock fillet in dish. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, cover the fillet evenly with the aioli sauce. Toss the tomatoes with a dash of olive oil and scatter them over the fish. Season with dill and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake fish for about 20 mi...

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog