In a Picadillo

The other day on NPR, I heard that pork farmers have been hit particularly hard. Yeah, sure, there's the whole swine flu brouhaha, which has folks avoiding pork for fear they'll contract the flu by eating Miss Piggy and her family. But before that, pork prices had already taken a plunge, although I don't recall the piece going into much detail.

What this crisis in pig farming means for consumers who do not abstain from pork for various religious, health or idealogical reasons is that pork is fairly cheap. I can't tell you how many times HEB's had pork chops of various cuts on sale at very attractive prices. For that reason, I've got a handsome array of chops in the freezer, all waiting to be prepared in some delicious way.

More often than not, that delicious preparation has included some type of spice rub. Yeah, I know, Gentle Reader, it's not the most challenging or unique method, but it's quick and it makes for a flavorful meal. But as I contemplated how to make another round of chops this week, I was in a bit of a pickle. I wanted flavor but didn't want to do yet another rub.

I found my solution in Cuba.

Quick Pork Picadillo Sandwiches1 1/2 C chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 t bottled minced garlic
1 lb. lean ground pork
1/2 C golden raisins
1 T chili powder
2 T red wine vinegar
1 t pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t salt
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 C sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
8 1.5-oz. whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Cook the onion, garlic and pork in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 min. or until browned, stirring to crumble.
   
2. Drain the mixture and return it to the pan.
   
3. Stir in the raisins, chili powder, vinegar, pumpkin pie spice, salt and tomatoes.
   
4. Reduce heat and cook 5 min., stirring occasionally.
   
5. Stir in the olives.
   
6. Spread about 2/3 cup of the picadillo mixture on the bottom half of each bun, then cover with the top half of the bun.

Yield: 8 sandwiches

Nutritional Info
Calories: 289
Fat: 9.2 g
Sat fat: 2.5 g
Protein: 15.8 g
Carbs: 37.7 g
Fiber: 3.3 g
Cholesterol: 43 mg
Sodium: 754 mg

The Faudie's Futzings
"But you had pork chops!" you wail, Gentle Reader?

Yup, I had pork chops--and no plans to make sandwiches. Here's my grand futzings:

1. Heat a small amount of canola oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the chops and brown on all sides, then set aside and keep warm.
   
3. Add the onions and begin to saute.
4. As the onions are growing tender, add the garlic.
   
5. When the garlic becomes fragrant (about 30 sec. or so), return the pork to the skillet.
6. Add the diced tomatoes, vinegar, spices and seasonings, stirring to combine and coat the chops.
   
7. Add the raisins and stir to combine well.
   
8. Let the concoction simmer until the pork is cooked through and, if you're a worry-wart, reaches the internal temperature (I think it's 180 degrees F) recommended by the USDA to kill the Trichinella that can give you trichinosis.
   
9. Serve the concoction on a thin bed of the rice of your choice.

And that's how I made this recipe using pork chops, Gentle Reader!

By the by, notice that I didn't use any green olives (blech!). When I substituted the ground red chili pepper for the regular chili pepper, I only used half a tablespoon since I find my stuff is about twice as heat-producing as regular chili powder.

I also had to make my own pumpkin pie spice because I had none and was too lazy to run to the big HEB at Parmer and I-35 to pick some up. Making your own isn't the world's most difficult challenge. I found guidelines on Cook's Thesaurus, took into account the spices I had on hand and fixed up my own batch. Badda-bing badda-boom.

The dish is very reminiscent of some Indian and Moroccan dishes I've made recently with its combination of heat (red chiles) and sweet (pumpkin pie spice) and acid (tomatoes). Serving it atop rice definitely gives it a curry-esque taste, texture and dining experience. While draining the diced toms is important if you're making sandwiches from this stuff, letting a little bit of liquid stay in the cans of (no-salt-added) diced toms is essential for a curry-like dish.

How Cuban is this dish? Haven't a bloody clue, Gentle Reader, as I've never eaten Cuban food. Plus the recipe came from Cooking Light, and I've said before that the publication's "ethnic" dishes are scurrilously toned down for bland American taste buds.