Dinner with Friends

pernil
Originally uploaded by chuborupert

We had friends in from out of town last night, so we made a rather traditional puertorican meal, roast pork, rice and beans and tostones.

The beans started with a sofrito of onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, oregano, bell pepper, and tomato paste, cumin bay leaf and annato (achiote). I had some pork bones from a previous pork roast and added these with homemade chicken stock. Diced butternut squash and then added canned beans and let cook for about an hour on low.



My wife bought a pork shoulder, but a ham or butt works just as well, I like it with the bone in. I cut crosshatche in the skin through the fat and I marinated the shoulder overnight in a rub of garlic, salt, pepper, annato seeds, oregano, lime juice



I picked off the annato seeds prior to roasting as they can be bitter.



The pork roasted at 350 degrees to an internal temp of 175 f



I took some green plantains... quick aside, in my opinion one cannot make tostones with ripe plantains. Ripe fried plantains I would call amarillos. Anyway...




I chopped them and put them in heavily salted water with some lime juice and granulated garlic for a few minutes.



I then dried them over paper towels and fried them at 325 deg till golden brown.



When cooled down a bit I mashed them (I use the bottom of my mortar with the plantain between two pieces of oiled waxpaper)



They are then fried again at 375 deg till firm and crunchy.



I usually salt them and serve with a little hot sauce optional on the side.

I made bread as well, it turned out tasty but not what I was shooting for. (I was hoping for a much lighter larger crumb but oh well)



We had great company and the food turned out great. Here's another shot of the pork for good measure.