Carnit-ish

Carnitas with sweet potato chips, avocado, and cabbage slaw

This is a hybrid of a few carnitas recipes that I modified to fit:
(1) what I had in the house, and
(2) the time I had to cook it in.

The surprisingly tasty results were waiting (nearly finished) in the crockpot when we got home from a long day out. Either I was really hungry, or this was the best thing out of my slow-cooker to date.  Eat this right away, then cook down the drippings to make awesome gravy.

Slow-cooked pork:

In a small bowl, blend:

• 1 heaping tablespoon sage*
• 1 heaping tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon good salt

use this to coat:

• 4+ pounds bone-in country-style pork loin ribs

Brown on all sides in a pan over medium-high heat. Place snugly in a large slow-cooker. Deglaze pan with a little white wine or water, scraping up the browned bits, add to slow cooker. Sprinkle over top:

• 1 large onion, cut into eight pieces
• 8 cloves garlic

Set slow cooker to low for 6-7 hours. Go outside and play. Come home 6 or so hours later, the meat should be falling apart by now.  Preheat oven to 450F. Use tongs to remove solids to a large oven-safe skillet, break up and scatter over the surface of the pan. In the slow cooker add to the remaining liquid:

• 1 cup whole milk**
• 1/2 cup orange juice**

Stir. Pour liquid over meat. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until the liquid is reduced somewhat and tips of meat are browned.  Eat up!

*Carnitas traditionally call for oregano, but I was out.

**Yeah, yeah, not orthodox paleo, but really, you could do worse. And 4+ pounds of pork cancels this out completely

Gravy

After dinner, discard bones, pack up any remaining meat an onions, and place skillet with juices over low heat, add:

• one egg yolk*

Whisk to incorporate well. Simmer, whisking often, and reduce juices by half.   Add another good splash of whole milk and simmer five to ten minutes more.

*An egg yolk seems to work well as an alternative to flour or cornstarch for thickening gravies.

Enjoyed after a great day at the Center for Land Use Interpretation on the Wendover Air Force Base. Don't miss this place if you ever find yourself on the border between Utah and Nevada.

Get Some: PEPITAS

Living in the south, I tend to get my nuts & seeds fix from pecans.  This is perfect when you're eating sweet potatoes under a magnolia tree.  In season - from the farmers' market - pecans are to die for, but my pallet and my wallet have grown tired of them as summer approaches.  This week, I've re-discovered pepitas (pumpkin seeds popular in mexican cooking). They run about $6/lb at our higher-end super market and come raw or roasted & salted. They're pretty, greenish and a little bigger than sunflower seeds.  They're versatile and tasty too.

Before (bottom) & After Toasting

Toast them:

• Spread a thick layer on a baking sheet, spray lightly with coconut oil cooking spray and toss.
• Toast in the oven at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until golden.

Use them for:

• Salads
• Curry*(along with chopped pineapple and toasted coconut)
• Chicken or turkey mole* 
• Trail mix
• Paleo Oatmeal*
• Granol-ish:  Sprinkle toasted pepitas and coconut over blueberries and drizzle with coconut milk

* Modified versions of these recipes are in the works. They need some substitutions to be solidly paleo.

Try this toasty sprinkle:

Mix toasted pepitas, sunflower seeds, and unsweetened coconut with a little cinnamon and ground clove. Add a little cayanne pepper for a sweet & spicy kick if it suits you.