Pinchos Morunos: Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

Pinchos Morunos: Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 T ground coriander
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T smoked paprika
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 one-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 T lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 2 T honey
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2-3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1-2 T chopped fresh oregano

1. In a medium bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Add the pork and toss to coat evenly, massaging the spices into the meat until no dry rub remains.
3. Let the meat sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, and garlic. Set aside.
5. In a large skillet (I used a 14-inch skillet) over medium-high, heat 2 T of the oil until just smoking. Add the meat in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes.
6. Using tongs, flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees.
7. Off the heat, pour the lemon juice-garlic mixture over the meat and toss to evenly coat, then transfer to a serving dish. (I tossed the sauce with the meat in my serving dish.)
8. Sprinkle the oregano over the pork and drizzle with the remaining 1 T of oil, if desired. (I omitted the additional oil.)
9. Serve with lemon wedges.

How To Make Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

How To Make Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

Makes 16 servings (about 4 pounds of cooked meat)

What You Need

Ingredients2 tablespoons kosher salt, preferably smoked
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder (no salt)
2 teaspoons onion powder (no salt)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 pork shoulder or pork butt (7 to 8 pounds with bone, 6 to 7 pounds if boneless)
2 medium onions, quartered
1 1/2 cups cane-sweetened cola (not diet)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Equipment
Wire rack
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Mixing bowls
Paper towels
6-quart or larger slow cooker
Forks 
Fine-mesh strainer

Instructions

1. Heat the oven: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 500°F. (Use convection if you have it.) Fit a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
2. Make the rub: Place the salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cornstarch, cayenne, and celery seed in a small bowl and mix to combine.
3. Roast the pork: Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Evenly coat the meat with rub. Reserve the remaining rub. Place the meat on the wire rack fat-side up if possible. Roast until the meat is sizzling with a bit of char on the edges, about 10 minutes, but don't let the spices burn and turn acrid.
4. Prep the slow cooker: Meanwhile, place the onions in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle with the reserved rub. Pour in the cola, vinegar, and Worcestershire.
5. Add the meat: Carefully transfer the meat to the slow cooker. (Try stabbing a fork into each end to use as handles.) Cover and cook on LOW until the meat is soft enough to pull apart with a spoon, 14 to 16 hours.
6. Shred the meat: Transfer the meat to a large bowl and let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat apart into large chunks or shred with a fork, discarding any bone, connective tissue, and large clumps of fat.
7. Strain the liquid: Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl and discard the solids. If you are serving immediately, spoon off as much fat as possible from the surface. For best results, refrigerate until the fat solidifies and collects on top, then scrape off and discard the fat (keep the meat covered and refrigerated during this time).
8. Moisten the meat: Toss the meat with enough defatted cooking liquid to moisten. Serve the meat warm, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate to use in other recipes. 

Recipe Notes

• Make ahead: The spice rub can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few months.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Momofuku's Bo Ssam

This is a recipe to win the dinner party sweepstakes, and at very low stakes: slow-roasted pork shoulder served with lettuce, rice and a raft of condiments. The chef David Chang serves the dish, known by its Korean name, bo ssam, at his Momofuku restaurant in the East Village and elsewhere. He shared the recipe with The Times in 2012. Mr. Chang is known as a kitchen innovator, but his bo ssam is a remarkably straightforward way to achieve high-level excellence with little more than ingredients and time. Simply cure the pork overnight beneath a shower of salt and some sugar, then roast it in a low oven until it collapses. Apply some brown sugar and a little more salt, then roast the skin a while longer until it takes on the quality of glistening bark. Meanwhile, make condiments – hot sauces and kimchi, rice, some oysters if you wish. Then tear meat off the bone and wrap it in lettuce, and keep at that until everything’s gone.

INGREDIENTS

PORK BUTT:

• 1 whole bone-in pork butt or picnic ham (8 to 10 pounds)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 7 tablespoons brown sugar

GINGER-SCALLION SAUCE:

• 2 ½ cups thinly sliced scallions, both green and white parts
• ½ cup peeled, minced fresh ginger
• ¼ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)
• 1 ½ teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 scant teaspoon sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

SSAM SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons fermented bean-and-chili paste (ssamjang, available in many Asian markets, and online)
• 1 tablespoon chili paste (kochujang, available in many Asian markets, and online)
• ½ cup sherry vinegar
• ½ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)

ACCOMPANIMENTS:

• 2 cups plain white rice, cooked
• 3 heads bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 1 dozen or more fresh oysters(optional)
•  Kimchi (available in many Asian markets, and online)

PREPARATION

1. Place the pork in a large, shallow bowl. Mix the white sugar and 1 cup of the salt together in another bowl, then rub the mixture all over the meat. Cover it with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
2. When you're ready to cook, heat oven to 300. Remove pork from refrigerator and discard any juices. Place the pork in a roasting pan and set in the oven and cook for approximately 6 hours, or until it collapses, yielding easily to the tines of a fork. (After the first hour, baste hourly with pan juices.) At this point, you may remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest for up to an hour.
3. Meanwhile, make the ginger-scallion sauce. In a large bowl, combine the scallions with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and taste, adding salt if needed.
4. Make the ssam sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the chili pastes with the vinegar and oil, and mix well.
5. Prepare rice, wash lettuce and, if using, shuck the oysters. Put kimchi and sauces into serving bowls.
6. When your accompaniments are prepared and you are ready to serve the food, turn oven to 500. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining tablespoon of salt with the brown sugar. Rub this mixture all over the cooked pork. Place in oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until a dark caramel crust has developed on the meat. Serve hot, with the accompaniments.

NOTES

Spicy Glass Noodles with Crispy Pork (Yum Woon Sen)

Spicy Glass Noodles with Crispy Pork (Yum Woon Sen)

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

1/2 pound ground pork
1 6-ounce package glass noodles (also called bean threads or saifun)
3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
1 bird's eye chili, ribs and seeds removed, minced (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes)
2 tablespoons peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
Extra chopped peanuts for garnishing

Warm a teaspoon of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break the pork into tiny crumbles. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring less frequently, until the pork turns deeply golden and crispy. Set aside.

While the pork is cooking, set the noodles in a bowl and cover them with hot water to soak. Let them sit until softened, about 10 minutes or until the pork has finished cooking.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the noodles are stretchy and tender. Drain and rinse under cool water. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut the mass of noodles 3 or 4 times — this makes the long noodles easier to eat.

Combine the noodles, pork, green onions, cilantro, chili, and peanuts in a large bowl. Whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice in a small bowl. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to suit your tastes, then pour the sauce over the noodles. Use tongs or clean hands to lift the noodles, fold them over, and gradually work the ingredients into the noodles. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving or refrigerate until serving. Garnish each dish with extra peanuts.

This dish is best on the day that it's made. For serving leftovers, make an extra batch of the sauce and add it to the noodles a few teaspoons a time, stirring the noodles until they loosen and become slippery again.

Spicy Glass Noodles with Crispy Pork (Yum Woon Sen)

Spicy Glass Noodles with Crispy Pork (Yum Woon Sen)

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

1/2 pound ground pork
1 6-ounce package glass noodles (bean threads/saifun)
3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
1 bird's eye chili, ribs and seeds removed, minced (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes)
2 tablespoons peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
Extra chopped peanuts for garnishing

Warm a teaspoon of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break the pork into tiny crumbles. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring less frequently, until the pork turns deeply golden and crispy. Set aside.

While the pork is cooking, set the noodles in a bowl and cover them with hot water to soak. Let them sit until softened, about 10 minutes or until the pork has finished cooking.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the noodles are stretchy and tender. Drain and rinse under cool water. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut the mass of noodles 3 or 4 times: this makes the long noodles easier to eat.

Combine the noodles, pork, green onions, cilantro, chili, and peanuts in a large bowl. Whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice in a small bowl. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to suit your tastes, then pour the sauce over the noodles. Use tongs or clean hands to lift the noodles, fold them over, and gradually work the ingredients into the noodles. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving or refrigerate until serving. Garnish each dish with extra peanuts.

This dish is best on the day that it's made. For serving leftovers, make an extra batch of the sauce and add it toåç the noodles a few teaspoons a time, stirring the noodles until they loosen and become slippery again.

LEMONGRASS BABY BACK RIBS

ERVES 4-6

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 scallions, roughly chopped

10 cilantro stems, roughly chopped

1 thai red chili, de-seeded and roughly chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

zest of 1 lime

3 pounds baby back ribs

¼ cup brown rice syrup

chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

garnish

1. In a blender or food processor, combine first 11 ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour this mixture over the ribs in the crockpot, making sure to distribute evenly.

2. Cook on “slow cook” low setting for 7 hours.

3. To serve, preheat the oven to 450 and place ribs on a rack-lined baking sheet. Pour the marinade and cooking liquid left in the crockpot into a small saucepan and skim off as much fat as possible. Add brown rice syrup, and cook over medium heat until the sauce has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Brush the ribs with half of the sauce, and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, and toasted sesame seeds, and serve with remaining sauce.

Originally featured in Easy Crockpot Meals

Thai-Style Pork Ribs

Thai-Style Pork Ribs

Sii Khrong Muu Yaang

Yields: 3 to 4 servings as a main dish, 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons honey, a dark amber one is what I used
• 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of grated nutmeg
• 2 pounds (1 kg) pork spareribs, cut across the bone into 2-inch-wide strips (ask the butcher for an assist)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Jaew dipping sauce

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of honey with the soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, sesame oil, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Taste and tweak, if needed, for a salty-sweet flavor. Set the marinade aside briefly.
2. Put the ribs in a large zip-top plastic bag and pour over the marinade. Close the bag, expelling excess air. Rub on the bag to coat the ribs well. Set the bag flat in a baking or casserole type dish so the ribs are well exposed to the marinade. Refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as overnight. Return to room temperature before cooking.
3. Before cooking the ribs, stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons of honey with 2 tablespoons of hot water. This will glaze the ribs during cooking.
4. Preheat the oven to 250F (120C / gas mark 1/2) and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put a rack on the baking sheet.
5. Put the ribs on the rack and roast for 2 hours, turning midway and rotating the baking sheet if your oven is uneven. Increase the heat to 300F (150C / gas mark 2) and continue to cooking for 45 to 60 minutes, brushing on the honey every 15 minutes and flipping the ribs. When done the meat will have pulled away from the bones a bit, and be chewy-tender.
6. Cool for about 10 minutes before cutting between the bones. Pile onto a plate and serve with the sauce.

Adapted from Pok Pok by Andy Ricker and J J Goode

Pork Souvlaki & Chopped Greek Salad

Instead of grilling vegetables for the souvlaki, Rodgers suggests serving his chopped Greek salad, along with pita bread. Adding to options, he also points out that the souvlaki can be cooked on an oiled broiler rack in a preheated broiler. Cook, turning the skewers occasionally, until the pork is cooked through, about 12 minutes. The lemon-onion marinade, "which is nothing short of terrific," Rodgers says, is great with lamb and swordfish, too.

PORK SOUVLAKI

(Preparation and cooking time under 30 minutes)

2 pounds center-cut boneless pork loin

12 cup chopped onion

12 cup fresh lemon juice

14 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano

12 teaspoon salt

14 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained)

Trim the fat from the pork and cut it into 112-inch cubes.

Puree the onion with the lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Pour into a zip-tight plastic bag and add the pork cubes. Refrigerate to marinate while you prepare the fire, or for up to 24 hours.

Build a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill and let burn until the coals are covered with white ash. (Or preheat a gas grill on high.)

Thread the meat onto the skewers, leaving a little space between the cubes. Lightly oil the grill. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until the meat is well browned and looks barely pink in the center when prodded with a sharp knife, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the pork from the skewers and serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

CHOPPED GREEK SALAD WITH FETA AND OLIVES

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press

14 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeds and ribs removed, and cut into 12-inch dice

2 kirby cucumbers, scrubbed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and cut into 12-inch dice (or use 12 English cucumber — no need to scrub or discard seeds)

2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 12-inch dice

2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped

12 cup crumbled feta cheese (see note)

13 cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pulse the vinegar, oregano and garlic in a blender to combine. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the top vent.

Combine the bell pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, feta and olives in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Feta cheese, made from sheep's milk, comes from many different countries, and the quality varies greatly. You are more likely to find a good feta at an ethnic food store or cheese shop than a supermarket, Rodgers says.

Pork Kebabs in the Style of the Moors

Pork Kebabs in the Style of the Moors

Reprinted with permission from Tapas: Sensational Small Plates from Spain by Joyce Goldstein (Chronicle Books, 2009). © 2009 by Joyce Goldstein.

Serves 8

Here is an example of Christian Spain adapting the flavors of Moorish Spain to their favorite meat. Originally made with lamb, these spicy pork morsels are served at tapas bars all over Spain.

To dress up this classic in summertime, brush peach halves with some of the marinade and grill them along with the kebabs. I like to use pork tenderloins for this recipe because they are a good size and are tender.

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant, finely ground
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedges for serving

1. In a small saucepan, combine the oil, cumin, sweet and hot paprika, saffron infusion, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and warm over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes to release the aromas of the seasonings. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. Place the pork in a bowl and rub with the oil mixture, coating evenly. Add the garlic, parsley, and lemon juice and toss well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

3. Soak bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes. Prepare a fire in a charcoal or gas grill, or preheat the broiler.

4. Drain the skewers. Remove the pork from the marinade, thread onto the skewers, and sprinkle with salt. Place on the grill rack, or arrange on a broiler pan and slip under the broiler. Grill or broil, turning once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.

5. Serve the skewers with lemon wedges.

Curried Pork Noodles

Curried Pork Noodles

- serves 4 -
Adapted from Gourmet.com

Ingredients

7 to 8 ounces dried thin rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound ground pork
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small fresh chili, deseeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tablespoons Madras or other curry powder
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
3/4 cup coarsely chopped basil

Procedure

1. Cover the rice noodles in boiling water and soak until soft but not mushy, 7 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking water, drain, and transfer to a bowl.
2. In the meantime, cook the pork, garlic, and chili in 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet, breaking up any chunks, until just cooked through (a little pink is okay as it will cook through later). Remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
3. Add the remaining oil in the skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the pepper strips. Cook for 1 minute, then add the onion. Continue cooking until the pepper is almost tender but with a little crunch and the onion is golden, an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the reserved pork along with the curry powder. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute then stir in the reserve noodle-soaking water. Add the drained noodles along with the fish sauce and herbs. Toss well to combine and serve with more fish sauce, if desired.