Feb

Score One For A Great Superbowl Soiree – Pork Tinga With Potatoes, Avocado and Fresh Cheese

By Lys

On an episode of “Mexico – One Plate At A Time”, Rick Bayless mentioned his Pork Tinga recipe which apparently was the best thing ever according to his daughter. I filed that recipe in my mental “must try” recipe box. The other day, while in the grocery store, I saw a gorgeous cut of pork that was on sale and thought “No time like the present” as I was craving some seriously good tacos for dinner.

While it takes some time, I have to tell you that patience is your friend when it comes to this dish. I caught the sous chef more than once pacing in front of the slow cooker due to the aroma wafting through the house.

Now, substitution wise – I could not find any Queso Fresco nor chorizo in the grocery store so I substituted a mild feta cheese and hot italian sausage. The flavors were amazing and I also added some creme fraiche (or sour cream for a substitute) to cut on the heat. I’m still a novice when it comes to all things spice but this heat was “good heat”. I could only handle one (big) chipotle pepper and that little thing packs a punch!

This is tried & true and would be a great addition to any Superbowl festivities. Now that’s a touchdown if I ever saw one.

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PORK TINGA WITH POTATOES, AVOCADO AND FRESH CHEESE

Recipe Courtesy of Rick Bayless

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 pound lean, boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
4 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from its casing (I substituted Italian sausage)
4 to 5 medium (about 3/4 pound total) red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4–inch thick
1 garlic clove, minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles, en adobo, finely chopped
4 teaspoons chipotle canning sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
Salt
About 1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like salted pressed farmers cheese (or mild feta)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and diced
Warm corn tortillas (I used flour)

Directions

Heat the oil in a stovetop-rated slow cooker liner over medium-high heat. (If your slow cooker liner isn’t made from a material that can be used on a stovetop, use a very large (12-inch) non-stick skillet.) Once the oil is very hot, add the pork and chorizo in an single layer and cook, stirring until the meat has browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and if you’re using a skillet, transfer the meat and its juices into the slow cooker. Add the potatoes.

In a large bowl, combine the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, Worcestershire, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 6 hours at the highest temperature.

After six hours, gently stir the tinga. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water. Taste, and season with salt if you think the dish needs it. Scoop into a large bowl, sprinkle with the fresh cheese and diced avocado, and serve with warm tortillas.

(Note, I made an avocado cream with a bit of lime to drizzle over the top – delish)

Lining Up The Ingredients