I'd be hard-pressed to find a loaf of Wonder Bread for sale in my local bodega but I would have my pick of gorgeous and exotic dried and canned chiles and other tasty Mexican pantry staples. Me and my little familia live in the heart of Chicago's Mexocentric part of town called Pilsen. Home of the now NATIONAL Museum of Mexican Art and the best tacos around (future blog material). New ingredients call for new cookbooks and I was drawn to the comprehensive and passionate writings of Diana Kennedy. Thumbing through "The Essential Cuisines of Mexico" I came across Tinga Poblana con Carne de Puerco or Shredded Savory Pork....yum. Kennedy's books are really cool because she gives a little story about each recipe. Her travels through Mexico took her to the state of Puebla where this dish is found on many restaurant menus. She notes that "tinga" means "vulgar" in Spanish which peaked my interest. Vulgar Shredded Pork? Sounds like a fun Saturday night.
TINGA POBLANA CON CARNE DE PUERCO (my version) serves 10 and freezes well
1.5 lbs stewing pork (pork shoulder) cut into 1 inch cubes
pinch salt
2 tbs olive oil
8 oz bulk chorizo
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped white onion
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/8 tsp dried
1/8 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
3 canned Chipotle in Adobo Sauce sliced thin
to serve
white rice (before steaming your rice try sauteing in olive oil first for less sticky rice)
avocado crema (avocado, lime juice and sour cream pureed- season with salt to taste)
In heavy bottom pot heat the olive oil over med heat and add the cubed pork and a little salt. Saute until slightly brown. Cover with water and stew (simmer) for 45 min-1 hour until very tender. The water will reduce to about 1.5 cups and become part of the sauce.
In a large skillet brown the chorizo over low heat until fat renders. Remove the cooked chorizo and all but 2 tbs fat (throw out the remaining fat) and set aside. Add onion, tomato and seasoning to hot chorizo fat in the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes stirring to get all the brown chorizo bits from the pan.
Roughly chop the cubed pork and add back to its pot with cooking juices. Add tomato mixture, chorizo and chipotle peppers to pork pot and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Warning: Chipotles are spicy!! If you like less heat then add them 1 at a time to taste. I added a little more of the adobo sauce from the can for something extra "tinga"ly.
Kennedy suggests making this to top tostadas with some shredded lettuce. I wanted a big bowl of food to snuggle up to so my husband made some rice. I thought the avocado crema might be nice to cut the heat of the tinga and it was a welcome addition.
Very spicy, cuddly and tingaly pot of food for a cold January night at home...not sure about vulgar but maybe that depends on the cook.
