Fall is here; heat up your kitchen with Mexican Tinga

OK, back to Mexico for some incredible plate ideas, a mouth full of flavor, an awesome smell wafting through the kitchen and big smiles on every ones faces.  Life is good.

When I feel a need to connect with Mexico, I turn to Rick Bayless.  Yes, an American, but probably North America's most celebrated chef of Mexican cuisine.  After a planned short exchange in College to Mexico lasted several years, Chef Bayless won the hearts of locals and mastered the secrets of Mexican cooking in the cuisine heart of the country: Oaxaca.

One of my new favorite (and easy) dishes is Pork Tinga.  For those of you that have not experienced the joy of this dish, it is basically pulled pork, done Mexican-style.  In fact, you could use any meat in this recipe - chicken or beef would be great.  Cook it low and slow (I used my slow cooker, threw everything in the pot and walked away).  The result is a wonderfully tender meat dish with some major flavours: smoky BBQ from the chipotle peppers and heartiness from the chorizo sausage.  For those in Canada wondering where to pick up some chipotle peppers in sauce, head to Walmart.  I know!

I served this in fresh corn tortilla shells with sliced onions and avocado.  That's it, I am serving this for family next week.  Thanks Rick!


Pork Tinga with Potatoes, Avocado and Fresh Cheese


Serves 4 to 6
Recipe from Season 7 Mexico One Plate at a Time, 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

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 even feta cheese

1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and diced

Warm corn tortillas


Directions


Heat the oil in a stove top-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 stove top, 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.


Saludos!