Carnitas Suprema Sandwich Recipes

SAUCY CARNITAS SANDWICH (TORTA AHOGADA)

Steps:

• Carnitas: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork cubes in an even layer, fat-side down, followed by onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and ½ tablespoon salt. Add lard. Squeeze juice from orange wedges into the pot, then add the squeezed orange wedges. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the pork cooks evenly.
• Remove and discard the orange peels, big pieces of onion, and bay leaves. Increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking for 1 more hour, stirring more regularly as the fat renders out and the pork begins to look shredded and browned. When pork is fully cooked, taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Meanwhile, make the Salsa Ahogada.
• Salsa Ahogada: In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion, garlic clove, and chiles; cook until onions are translucent, 8-10 minutes. Then add tomatoes, tomato paste, and water (omit if using canned tomatoes). Stir, then simmer until the tomatoes are cooked, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a comal or skillet over medium heat. When comal is hot, add peppercorns, cloves, allspice, and chile flakes to the hot comal. Toast for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to distribute the heat and prevent burning. After 30 seconds, remove from heat and add cumin, oregano, and bay leaves to the hot pan; keep stirring. (The residual heat will toast the additional spices.) Set aside to cool for 8-10 minutes. Then finely grind the spices and set aside.
• Ladle the cooked onion-tomato mixture into a blender, along with the ground spices, vinegar, and salt. Blend on medium speed to purée, 10-15 seconds. Place Salsa Ahogada back into the Dutch oven and simmer over low-medium heat for 10 minutes, or until salsa has thickened and reduced by about one-third. Remove and discard any tomato peels that have floated to the top. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Keep the Salsa Ahogada warm until ready to assemble and serve tortas. Makes about 4 cups. (Note: Salsa Ahogada can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in a lidded container.)
• Assemble Torta Ahogada: Preheat broiler. Slice baguette/rolls lengthwise and broil, cut-side up, until toasted, 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop or shred Carnitas into small pieces. Spread about ¼ cup of the refried beans on one half of the toasted baguette, then top with about ⅓ of the Carnitas. Add sliced avocado in an even layer. Spread a lighter coat of beans on the other baguette half and place on top to make a sandwich. Slice into thirds and arrange on a rimmed serving plate or flat-bottomed bowl, cut-sides down. "Drown" the sandwich in Salsa Ahogada by ladling it all around and on top; garnish with pickled red onions. Assemble the other sandwiches and serve immediately (with lots of napkins!).

CARNITAS TORTA

Steps:

• For the carnitas: Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Place pork butt in a 4-inch-deep roasting pan and coat both sides generously with salt and oregano. Roast fat-side-up 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Chop meat and crispy fat or pull meat with tongs while hot. Pour juices (if you have any!) over pork and reserve for tortas, tacos, burritos or whatever you can imagine.
• For the torta: Lightly spread all four surfaces of torta roll with butter-olive oil spread. Toast all sides on the griddle or in a pan.
• Spread Baja sauce on both halves of the torta. Top with carnitas, queso fresco, jalapeños, avocado, pico de gallo and mixed greens. Cut in half and serve with cabbage and lime salad.
• Combine butter and olive oil until blended.
• Combine mayonnaise, lime juice and salt.
• Mix the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt well in a bowl and chill.
• Mix cabbage, carrots, cilantro and jalapeños in a bowl. Squeeze key lime over salad and add salt, then toss.

CARNITAS SUPREMA SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a clad skillet (don't use cast iron because you will be deglazing) add the carnitas and any juice from the carnitas. Add the vegetable stock, shallots, garlic, onion powder, and black pepper. Stir well. Cover and Sauté at low heat for about 15-20 minutes and extract as much flavor as possible in the stock. Remove from heat. Strain the meat from the liquid and set stock aside. Return the meat to the skillet and brown slightly to remove some of the excess moisture. With tongs remove the meat into a bowl and set aside. Add the wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan at low heat and cook half the wine off , while stirring with a heat proof rubber spatula. Scrap all the yummy brown material from the skillet. Return the stock to the skillet and simmer at medium low heat and reduce a bit more.
• In a separate container, mix corn starch with a bit of water and make a roux. Slowly add to stock and thicken into a gravy. Return meat to skillet and mix thoughly.
• Split bollitos lengthwise and stuff with meat mixture. Add slices of avocado and pico de gallo.
• Enjoy.

CARNITAS CASERAS (HOME-COOKED CARNITAS)

Steps:

• Heat the lard in a heavy pan, add the meat, and fry, stirring and turning it over from time to time, until lightly golden-about 8 minutes.
• Add the onion and stir well. Cook for 8 minutes longer or until the meat is well browned (remove onion only if it has burned).
• Add the remaining ingredients, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the meat is just tender, not falling apart- about 20 minutes, depending on the quality of the meat. There should be plenty of pan juices. Remove the lid, increase the heat, and fry, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the juices have been absorbed- about 10 minutes. Drain off the extra fat and serve with salsa fresca, guacamole, and tortillas.
• These carnitas may be prepared ahead up to thee point of the final frying, but they should be kept covered so that the meat does not dry out.

CARNITAS EGGS BENEDICT WITH CHIPOTLE HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• Set 1 oven rack in the middle and another rack about 6 inches from the top. Preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place carnitas in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Place on the top rack under the preheated broiler and reheat until edges of carnitas are crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast English muffin halves. Remove from toaster and wrap in aluminum foil.
• Remove carnitas from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Turn off the broiler and preheat oven to the lowest setting.
• Return carnitas and English muffins to the oven to keep warm until needed.
• Combine avocados, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl. Roughly smash to combine and set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in hollandaise sauce mix until blended. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in milk. Return to the stove, add chipotle powder, and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking frequently, for 1 minute. Keep sauce warm while you prepare eggs.
• Heat 2 to 3 inches water in a large, shallow saucepan until boiling. Add vinegar and lower heat to a light simmer. Crack 1 egg into a small ramekin. Lower the ramekin to the surface of the water and ease the egg out into the pan. Repeat with remaining eggs, poaching up to 4 at a time. Poach eggs until whites are completely set and yolks are slightly soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining eggs.
• Place 2 English muffin halves on each plate. Top each half with avocado, carnitas, and 1 egg, then drizzle with hollandaise sauce.