Photo: Belén Fleming of Belu Photography
Whether for Cinco de Mayo or throughout the summer, these recipes offer flavor-filled recipes to serve at any festive gathering.
Pork or Jackfruit Carnitas
Carnitas, which means “little meats” in Spanish, is a dish made of pork, served shredded in tacos or burritos. It is one of my favorite things to order at Mexican restaurants. Jackfruit is a large neutral-tasting tropical fruit that mimics the consistency of shredded pork when cooked, making it the perfect plant-based substitute. It absorbs all of the seasonings and can be just as flavorful as the pork.
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3–4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or three cans of jackfruit, drained and rinsed
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 oranges, juiced
Place the sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork shoulder (fat side up) or jackfruit on top of the onions. Add the garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, black pepper and orange juice. Cover; cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours. Using 2 forks, shred the pork or the jackfruit, skimming out the extra fat from the pork. The pork and jackfruit will be tender and ready to enjoy, but if you like crispier carnitas, finish them in the oven. Preheat the oven to broil. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork or jackfruit, and spread it on a sheet pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven, and broil for 5–10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the edges. Serve the carnitas in your favorite tortillas or as a bowl with your favorite toppings. I like them with Pineapple Carrot Slaw, Tomatillo Guacamole and Pickled Onions from my cookbook, Real Food. Every Day.
Spicy Watermelon Margaritas
In the summer, it is nice to take advantage of the seasonal options and use fresh watermelon for a twist on this classic cocktail. Plus, the color is gorgeous. A spicy simple syrup, made with honey and jalapeños, adds the right amount of heat to balance the sweetness of the watermelon.
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 cup honey
- ¾ cup water, divided
- 2 cups watermelon, diced
- 20 limes, juiced
- 16 oz. tequila blanco
- pink Himalayan sea salt
- ice
Roughly chop the jalapeños. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, jalapeños and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes for lighter heat, up to 5 minutes for more heat. Strain the spicy honey syrup into a jar or glass container; cool. Place watermelon and ¼ cup water in a blender, and blend 1–2 minutes. Strain the watermelon juice through a fine sieve. Juice limes to make 8 oz. juice. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass; dip in pink salt. Add ice to a glass. In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz. watermelon juice, 1 oz. lime juice, 1 oz. honey syrup, 2 oz. tequila, and a few ice cubes. (You can double this to make 2 drinks at a time.) Shake well. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with watermelon cube and rind, limes or jalapeño slices.
Emily Maxson of Medina is a food blogger and author of Emily’s Fresh Kitchen: Cook Your Way to Better Health. Find her at emilysfreshkitchen.com.
