Time Slice

I love good mexican food, not the kind from Taco Bell but the kind you can only find in the little “hole in wall” types of places. When I’ve had carnitas (cooked pork), it’s been anything from great to worse than bad. That said, I’ve been looking for a recipe that was easy to make and would still taste great. Luckily I found one through some diligent Google research.

Normally to make carnitas you need to cook the pork in fat for about 12 hours but that wasn’t going to work. I don’t live in a campo and I have things to do during the day. Luckily I found this simple recipe that fit into my time requirements:

1. Take 1 Pork Butt (6 to 8 lbs) and slice it into strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
2. Place the strips into a dutch oven and just cover with about 2 cups of water, 1 cup of orange juice and 2 teaspoons of salt, mix it all together.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 2 hours, uncovered. Do not stir the meat!

I saw this link on another site and decided it looked good enough to post.

Here is the article and recipe from the LA Times food section (http://tinyurl.com/2azrxd)

Lucques’ grilled cheese with shallots

Total time: About 30 minutes

Servings: 1 or 2

Note: From chef-owner Suzanne Goin. She recommends serving the sandwich with an arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and best-quality olive oil.

2 large shallots

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

Salt, pepper

2 slices country white bread, sliced 1/2 -inch thick

5 ounces Cantal cheese, sliced 1/8-inch thick

1. Cut the shallots in half lengthwise and peel them. Place the shallots cut-side down. Slice lengthwise into about one-eighth-inch wedges. In a small sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and thyme and season lightly with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook gently, stirring often until the shallots are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Heat a cast iron or heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining butter and swirl in the pan until it is melted. Place the two slices of bread in the pan and toast for a minute or two until just beginning to color. Divide the cheese evenly between the two pieces and top with the shallots.

3. Place the pan in the oven and cook 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden and crispy. Remove to a cutting board and carefully assemble the sandwich, placing together the two slices of bread. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.

Each of 2 servings: 705 calories; 26 grams protein; 53 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 43 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 120 mg. cholesterol; 1,026 mg. sodium.