Carnitas with fresh tortillas, black beans, sopa de arroz, guacamole, Salsa de chile con tomatillo and Salsa verde storage: refrigerated pork [9×13in pyrex baking dish, plastic wrap over top], rice [7c lidded pyrex bowl], beans [4 1c lidded pyrex cups], guacamole [2c lidded pyrex bowl, plastic wrap pressed down] one day only, salsas frozen [1c lidded plastic cups, plastic wrap pressed down] reheat: (beans, pork, rice only) uncovered on plate, beans in bowl (w/ a little water) 220°F 25min, salsas in their plastic cups in dish of hot water carnitas tacos refers to corn tortillas, both salsas, carnitas, minced white onion guacamole is to be served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon as a side for a proper blowout, make everything here as described plus roast a whole chicken to be served with extra salsa verde (no need to make more than the recipe given) full prep in 2 days: day 1: make both salsas; roast chicken; brine pork; soak beans day 2: heat beans; pork in oven; make guac; pork out, jelly + fat; jelly->rice->oven; deep fry pork; warm chicken, salsas; make tortillas, onion; serve more managable combinations include carnitas tacos + guacamole carnitas tacos + black beans roast chicken + salsa verde + sopa de arroz salsas can be made well in advance and frozen meats and beans can be made a day or two in advance rice can be made a day in advance guacamole should be made the same day, but carefully stored lasts 1 day if you were lacking for starchy junk food, running some potatoes through the orange fat left over after the meat is done is a possibility serve with Bandol rosé (or beer); if just chicken and rice, red wine (Ribera del Duero) ===== Carnitas - 220°F [0.9l stainless saucepan, 3c food processor or immersion blender, 3qt stainless saucepan, 9×13in pyrex baking dish, 4c pyrex bowl, 7c pyrex bowl, IR thermometer, 2c measuring cup, 2 1c lidded plastic cups, gravy separator] ~2kg pork bone-in picnic ham or shoulder - save bone with some meat in freezer for stock or ~1.6kg boneless echine de porc 750-1000g lard Brine: 1 guajillo chile stemmed, seeded, albedoed, chopped 2 arbol chiles, or a similar amount of pasilla negra 4 cloves garlic chopped 1/2tsp black peppercorns bay leaf 1/2c water 1tbsp kosher salt simmer chile, garlic, black pepper in water 20min; cool, remove bay puree, add salt; remove skin and bones, cut pork into ~18-25 egg-sized pieces good pieces have fat/connective tissue inside - cut across, not along muscle boundaries brine 2hr; semi-dry, refrigerate overnight in baking dish with paper towels on top, plastic wrap melt lard on stove; submerge pork in lard, bake 220°F ~4hr; remove pork to dish pour off, reserve as much pure fat as possible; pour out remaining liquid, wipe out pan use gravy separator to produce ~1c of jelly; freeze in two portions in cups return fat to pan; put on stove top (med-hi then med) until fat is 350°F fry pieces 4-8s 350°F (med) in 5-6 batches; drain, cool in dish ===== Black beans [1.8l stainless saucepan, 4 1c lidded pyrex cups] 2/3c black beans sorted water to cover by 2cm bay leaf 3/4tsp salt Seasonings: 1 clove garlic minced 2 serranos or 1 jalapeño stemmed, seeded, diced cayenne pepper cumin soak beans in water overnight; cook until done (lowest) ~4hr with bay, keep enough water add salt and seasonings after ~3hr; when soft simmer uncovered ~1hr (5 tot) until sauce is thick ===== Tortillas (1/4 recipe) [tortilla press, 9in round griddle] 2/3c masa harina 1/2tsp salt 7tbsp (100ml) water mix; form 4 balls; press; cook (med-lo); keep warm in a paper towel inside foil folded over ===== Guacamole (1/2 recipe) [4c lidded pyrex bowl] (from Gabilondo-1986 p. 74) 3 avocados 1/2 tomato skinned, seeded, finely diced 1 shallot or 1/4 white onion, inner leaf membranes removed, finely diced juice of 1.1/2-2 limes infused with 1 crushed clove of garlic (discard garlic) if lime juice deficient, augment with green tabasco sauce 1.1/2-2 serrano chiles stemmed, seeded, albedoed, finely diced (or 1-1.1/2 jalapeños skinned) 3/4tsp salt ground cumin cayenne pepper mash avocados, juice, salt, cumin, cayenne with fork until smooth; stir in remaining ingredients ===== Sopa de arroz 350°F [10in stainless skillet] 1c basmati rice 2tbsp goose fat 2tbsp olive oil 2tsp salt (1.1/2tsp if using carnitas jelly) 1/2 bay leaf 2tbsp tomato paste mixed into 2tbsp water (1/4c total) - 2tsp green tabasco jalapeño sauce - mixed into stock 1.1/2c pork stock or carnitas jelly+water (1.3/4c total with tomato mix) 2 tomatoes seeded, diced 3 serranos (or 2 jalapeños) seeded, albedoed, finely diced 1/3 onion diced 3 cloves garlic minced ground cumin black pepper cayenne pepper heat rice and goose fat (med low) until some grains begin to turn orange at the tips turn off heat, add onion and garlic, sweat a few min; add stock mixture, bay, seasonings, salt add tomatoes, peppers, oil on top of rice, cover; bake 350°F ~35min; cool covered ~10min ===== Salsa de chile con tomatillo (Gabilondo-1986 p. 286) 4 ~1/3c servings [0.9l stainless saucepan, glass blender, 9in stainless skillet, 4 1c lidded cups] 3 dried california/new mexico chiles 5 dried arbol chiles ~1c water 1/4 29oz can tomatillos drained, or 4 fresh 4 cloves garlic minced 1/4 white onion chopped 1/2tsp cumin seeds 1/4tsp mexican oregano 1tsp sugar 3/4tsp salt 2tsp safflower oil stem and seed chiles; simmer 20min in water; cool; drain or heat chopped fresh toamtillos with chiles, garlic, 1c water in a pan (make salsa verde first in the blender) puree tomatillos, chiles, garlic, spices always puree chiles a very long time to make it smooth and to prevent heat lingering in the mouth add sugar and salt; simmer with oil a few minutes (low), portion and freeze ===== Salsa verde (Ortiz-1967 p. 76) 4 ~2/3c servings [3qt stainless saucepan, glass blender, 10in stainless skillet, 4 1c lidded cups] ~2qt water 20 serranos (or 12 jalapeños) (450g) 1/3 29oz can tomatillos drained, or 5-6 fresh 1/2 white onion chopped 1/2 clove garlic minced 1/4tsp cumin seeds 1.1/2tsp salt 1/2tsp sugar black pepper mexican oregano 2tsp safflower oil boil chiles 5min; cool; stem and seed; or heat fresh toamtillos with preaperd chiles in a pan puree chiles, tomatillos, onion, garlic, spices; add remaining ingredients always puree chiles a very long time to make it smooth and to prevent heat lingering in the mouth simmer with oil ~30min (low) to reduce a bit; portion and freeze ===== Roast chicken salsa verde (skeleton recipe) adapt a standard roast whole chicken recipe: inside garlic, shallot, bay, black pepper mexican oregano, sage; rub salt, cayenne, black pepper; defat drippings, degalze pan stir defatted drippings and deglazing liquid into salsa verde; sauce pieces of chicken on a platter and finish in oven at 375°F until salsa begins to brown around edges ~15min