Velveted Pork Tacos

 
Times Icon

Times:

15 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook

Ingredients Icon

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork chops
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 package flour tortillas, 12 fajita or smaller size tortillas
1 bunch cilantro
1 red onion
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 8-oz can corn niblets
1 12-oz jar tomato salsa
1 8-oz carton sour cream, (regular or non-fat)
1 8-oz package shredded cheese
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Cooking Directions Icon

Cooking Directions:

Cut pork chops into small, bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix together corn starch, oil, cumin and 1 teaspoon black pepper until smooth, like a runny paste. Add pork to mixture and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

While pork marinates, wash cilantro and pluck whole leaves from stems, about 3/4 cup worth. Place whole cilantro leaves in a bowl. Thinly slice 1 red onion and add to cilantro, creating a salad. (You can adjust cilantro/red onion ratio to taste.) Add a dash of black pepper, one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of olive oil, toss to coat and set aside.

After pork has marinated, cook it in batches. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a non-stick sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. When oil comes to temperature, cook half the pork pieces (without removing the marinade). Cook until the outside of the pork pieces are brown and a crust has formed and the inside is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. If needed, add more oil to the pan, and then cook the second half of the marinated pork. Once finished, sprinkle cooked pork with salt to taste.

To assemble tacos warm tortillas according to directions on the package. Take one tortilla and smear a teaspoon of sour cream down the middle. Top with 7-8 chunks of pork. Atop pork, place a spoonful of salsa, then top with cilantro red onion salad, a teaspoon of corn kernels and pinch of cheese. Fold over to enjoy!

Makes 6 servings (12 tacos)


Serving Suggestions Icon

Serving Suggestions:

Recipe courtesy of Carolina Buia and Isabel Gonzalez, co-authors of Latin Chic: Entertaining with Style and Sass. For a tapas version of this recipe, make the tacos smaller and seal with bamboo toothpicks.


Nutrition Icon

Nutrition:

Calories: 950 calories
Protein: 44 grams
Fat: 57 grams
Sodium: 1110 milligrams
Cholesterol: 155 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 23 grams
Carbohydrates: 53 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

Random Grilling Tip:
Chops are best prepared by grilling directly over the coals.

 
 
 
 
 
Recipe Detail

Ratings

 
 
 
Buying/Handling/Storing Tip:

Cutlets also may come from the leg or from a tenderloin that has been sliced crosswise and flattened. Supermarkets may label thin slices of cutlet as scaloppini.


Other Pork Buying/Handling/Storing Tips
Ask Your Butcher

Traditional cutlets are great for quick meals and casual dining. They may be prepared to stand alone as a dinner entrée or may be used in sandwiches. Cutlets are best when quickly cooked, either by sautéing or grilling.


More Butcher Tips
About the Cut

A cutlet is a thin, tender cut of pork that is often taken from the sirloin end of the loin after the tenderloin and bones have been removed.


Learn About the Pork Cuts
Cooking Method: Sauteing
COOKING BASICS:
1)Heat a small amount of oil in a large heavy skillet over a medium-high heat.
2)Place pork in skillet; do not cover.
3)Cook pork uncovered, turning occasionally. For stir-frying, cook over high heat, stirring constantly.

More about this cooking method
Freebies
A variety of materials and brochures are available for free.
Twitter
Follow us on twitter @AllAboutPork!
Facebook
Become a fan of The Other White Meat Campaign on Facebook!