Recipe: Pork Adobo (using pork shoulder, marinated)

PORK ADOBO

"I first tasted pork adobo at a potluck after a canoe regatta. I knew if I ever had my own restaurant, I wanted to serve flavors like this - bold, complex and yet so well blended they seemed comforting and familiar. We don't actually serve pork adobo in the restaurant, but I make it often for family and friends and use the flavor profile in any number of other restaurant dishes."



"Here we put the pork on a bed of fresh spinach for a bit of color, but in Hawai'i you will only see pork adobo served with short-grain white rice, also called sticky rice. I love a cool, crunchy side dish, like kimchi or Pineapple Cole Slaw."

FOR THE PORK AND SAUCE:
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder (also known as Boston butt or pork butt)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
5 - 6 large cloves garlic, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup onions, chopped
FOR ASSEMBLY:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (to garnish)

TO MARINATE THE PORK:
Remove and discard large pieces of fat from pork. Cut pork into 1-inch cubes. Place pork cubes into a resealable plastic bag and place bag into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, water and vinegar. Divide the liquid into 2 equal portions. Set 1 portion aside. Add the other portion to the pork, close and seal the bag, and knead gently to ensure pork is thoroughly drenched with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours. Marinating longer will mean more flavor in the final dish.

TO COOK THE PORK:
Add bay leaves, coriander seeds, cumin, paprika, and peppercorns to reserved soy sauce-vinegar mixture, and set aside.

Remove pork from marinating liquid, drain, and dry cubes on paper towels. Discard marinade. Heat a heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

Season drained pork with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet, and brown about half of the pork. Don't crowd the pan. Turn pork cubes individually so each piece is nicely browned on all sides. (See note below.) Re move browned pork to a plate, and repeat the browning process using remaining oil, until all pork is browned. (You may need to re duce the heat to medium-high to avoid burn ing.)

Return all pork to the skillet. Add garlic and cook on high heat until garlic is golden brown. Lower heat to medium, add onions and cook for 1 minute. Add reserved spicy soy sauce-vinegar liquid, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir and if pork is get ting dry, add 1/2 cup water. Continue to simmer, covered, until pork is fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Remove the pan from the heat, add lemon juice and stir to combine. Place in a large bowl to serve family style and sprinkle with cilantro.

NOTE:
Browning the pork is a critical step. The pan must be hot, and heavy enough that it won't lose too much heat when the meat is added. Using tongs, place pork cubes one at a time, leaving space between and turning each piece individually. Wait for each side to brown before turning so that all sides are evenly browned. Yes, this takes longer than stirring, but that's cooking with aloha.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Merriam's Hawaii: The Chef, the Farmers, the Food, the Islands by Peter Merriman and Melanie P. Merriman. (Story Farm, October 2015; $39.95/hardcover; ISBN: 978-0-9905205-8-0).