I contemplated starting this post with an ode to spring. But it doesn’t look much like spring out my window. Lately it has been blustery and cold and frankly, I’m not willing to extoll a season that has been dragging its feet, teasing us with its arrival. A hint of warm warm weather and then right back to dreary drizzle. I’m in no mood for picnics and smoothies by the pool. I need bowls of soup and warm comfort food. And so that’s what I’ve been making.

Last week my brother arrived home after spending two years in Ukraine in desperate need of some good “American” home-cookin’. My mom and I made him this lasagna and then I settled on carnitas (adapted for the slow-cooker). I assumed he hadn’t eaten too many tacos in Ukraine and could use a dose of Tex-Mex. Chili-rubbed garlic-infused pork slow-simmered all day (or night actually), wrapped in warm tortillas with cabbage, cojita, and guacamole- comfort food at it’s best.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

INGREDIENTS

3 lb. pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
1-2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (I used 1 tsp., but it was hardly spicy at all)
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, sliced
juice of one orange
salta and freshly ground black pepper

whole wheat flour or corn tortillas, warmed
guacamole
red and green cabbage, shredded and tossed with freshly squeezed lime juice and seasoned with salt and pepper
cotija cheese, crumbled
sour cream
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chili powders and cumin in a small bowl. Season pork with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub spice mixture over entire surface of pork.

2. Place seasoned pork, garlic, orange juice, and about 1 cup of water in a large slow-cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork.

3. Remove the meat from the slow-cooker and set aside to cool. Drain the juices from the slow-cooker into a large bowl and also set aside to cool. Shred the meat once it is cool enough to handle, removing any fat and gristle. Skim the fat off the surface of the reserved juices.

4. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker to re-warm, adding some of the reserved juices to keep it moist. Serve in warm tortillas with cabbage, guacamole, cojita, sour cream, cilantro, and lime.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from The Year in Food)

I’m always in the mood for Mexican food. One of the things I miss most about living out West is the abundance of fantastic fresh Mexican restaurants. I haven’t found a single place in Richmond that compares. Luckily, it’s one of the easier cuisines to (successfully) recreate at home. I’m not claiming that all (or any) of my “southwestern” labeled recipes are authentic. I just know that they’re tasty and that’s good enough for me!

Here’s another taco recipe to add to your Mexican collection. This time it’s a pork shoulder slow-cooked to tender perfection in a fire-roasted tomato and chipotle sauce. The shredded pork is piled on warm tortillas with crunchy cabbage, smooth avocado, and robust pickled red onions. Remember to make the onions when you prep the pork. They need the better part of a day to marinate and become soft and sweet.

Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions

INGREDIENTS

Pork:
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 4-5 lb. bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pickled Onions:
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

corn or whole wheat flour tortillas
red and green cabbage, shredded
avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
sour cream
fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle, W. sauce, and cilantro in a large slow cooker. Add the pork shoulder and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4-6 hours until tender.

2. To prepare the pickled onions, in a small saucepan (or microwavable dish) combine the vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the onions and oregano. Keep, covered, at room temperature for up to six hours before refrigerating.

3. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks (removing any fat and gristle). Skim the fat off the surface of the remaining liquid. Reserve 1/2-1 cup of the liquid. Toss with the pulled pork.

4. Serve over warmed tortillas with pickled onions, cabbage, avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Food Network)