Arepas With Pulled Pork And Pickled Onion

Serves: 5

Rowena Kautzer

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

50

Spice

55

Sweetness

49

Sourness

37

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.8

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 tsp

Salt

1 tsp

Cumin Seed

1 cup

Water

3 cups

Whole Milk

1 tbsp

Sugar

2.5 tbsps

Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1

Make pickled onion: Stir together all pickled onion ingredients in a bowl and chill, covered, at least 12 hours

2

Stir together all pickled onion ingredients in a bowl and chill, covered, at least 12 hours

3

Marinate pork while onion chills: Toast cumin, allspice, and peppercorns together in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes

4

Finely grind toasted spices with achiote in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle

5

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a heavy knife, then transfer to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish

6

Stir in spice mixture, oregano, orange juice, and vinegar

7

Add pork and rub meat all over with marinade

8

Marinate pork, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours

9

Toast cumin, allspice, and peppercorns together in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes

10

Finely grind toasted spices with achiote in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle

11

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a heavy knife, then transfer to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish

12

Stir in spice mixture, oregano, orange juice, and vinegar

13

Add pork and rub meat all over with marinade

14

Marinate pork, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours

15

Cook pork while onion chills: Preheat oven to 325°F

16

Bring pork to room temperature, then add water to baking dish and cover tightly with foil

17

Bake in middle of oven until very tender, 1 3/4 to 2 hours

18

(Leave oven on

19

) Uncover pork and, when cool enough to handle, shred meat on a cutting board, discarding bones and excess fat

20

Transfer meat and any juices accumulated on cutting board to baking dish

21

Preheat oven to 325°F

22

Bring pork to room temperature, then add water to baking dish and cover tightly with foil

23

Bake in middle of oven until very tender, 1 3/4 to 2 hours

24

(Leave oven on

25

) Uncover pork and, when cool enough to handle, shred meat on a cutting board, discarding bones and excess fat

26

Transfer meat and any juices accumulated on cutting board to baking dish

27

Make arepas while pork cooks: Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and reserve 1/2 cup in a small bowl

28

Add butter to remaining 2 1/2 cups hot milk and stir until melted

29

Toss together arepa flour, sugar, salt, and mozzarella in a large bowl

30

Add hot milk with butter and stir until combined

31

Let mixture stand until milk is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will be soft; it will continue to stiffen as it stands)

32

Form 1 level tablespoon dough into a ball

33

Flatten ball to a 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch-diameter disk and transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray

34

Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, stirring in some of reserved milk if dough becomes too stiff and edges of disks crack when flattened

35

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat until hot, then cook arepas in batches of 10 to 12, turning over once, until golden in patches, 8 to 12 minutes total

36

(Add more oil to skillet between batches as needed

37

) Transfer to baking sheets as cooked

38

Reheat arepas in batches as needed, covered with foil, until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes, then top with pork and pickled onion

39

Serve warm

40

Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and reserve 1/2 cup in a small bowl

41

Add butter to remaining 2 1/2 cups hot milk and stir until melted

42

Toss together arepa flour, sugar, salt, and mozzarella in a large bowl

43

Add hot milk with butter and stir until combined

44

Let mixture stand until milk is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will be soft; it will continue to stiffen as it stands)

45

Form 1 level tablespoon dough into a ball

46

Flatten ball to a 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch-diameter disk and transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray

47

Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, stirring in some of reserved milk if dough becomes too stiff and edges of disks crack when flattened

48

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat until hot, then cook arepas in batches of 10 to 12, turning over once, until golden in patches, 8 to 12 minutes total

49

(Add more oil to skillet between batches as needed

50

) Transfer to baking sheets as cooked

51

Reheat arepas in batches as needed, covered with foil, until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes, then top with pork and pickled onion

52

Serve warm