Cuban-Spiced Pork with Pineapple Salsa

🥘 Ingredients

• Cuban Spice Blend
  4 tbsp
• black pepper
• butter
  ½ tbsp
• cilantro
  ½ oz
• lime
  2 unit
• olive oil
• onion
  2 unit
• orange (zest)
  2 unit
• pineapple (the drained pineapple)
  8 oz
• pork
  20 oz
• salt
  pinch
• water
  1¼ cup, ½ cup
• white rice
  1.5 c

🍳 Cookware

• small pot
• large pan
• baking sheet
• small bowl

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce. In a small pot , combine white rice , water , and salt . Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, ⏱️ 15-20 minutes . Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

   white rice: 1.5 c, water: 1¼ cup, salt: pinch
2. 

   2

   While rice cooks, drain pineapple , reserving juice in a small bowl. Roughly chop cilantro . Zest and quarter lime . Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion . Zest and halve orange . Squeeze juice from orange into bowl with reserved pineapple juice; set aside for use in Step 5.

   pineapple: 8 oz, cilantro: ½ oz, lime: 2 unit, onion: 2 unit, orange: 2 unit
3. 

   3

   Pat pork dry with paper towels; season all over with half the Cuban Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest later). Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pork; sear, turning occasionally, until browned all over, ⏱️ 4-8 minutes . Turn off heat; transfer pork to a baking sheet and roast on middle rack until cooked through, ⏱️ 10-12 minutes . Wipe out pan. Transfer pork to a cutting board to rest at least ⏱️ 5 minutes .

   pork: 20 oz, Cuban Spice Blend: 4 tbsp, olive oil
4. 

   4

   While pork roasts, in a second small bowl , combine pineapple , half the cilantro, juice from one lime wedge (two wedges for 4 servings), salt , and black pepper . Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and lime juice as desired. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in pan used for pork over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and beginning to soften, ⏱️ 4-6 minutes .

   pineapple (the drained pineapple), salt, black pepper, olive oil
5. 

   5

   To pan with onion, stir in remaining Cuban Spice Blend. Add water and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, ⏱️ 2-4 minutes . Add reserved juice mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, ⏱️ 1-2 minutes more. Turn off heat; stir in butter , juice from one lime wedge, and as much orange as you like (1 TBSP butter and juice from two lime wedges for 4).

   water: ½ cup, butter: ½ tbsp, orange (zest)
6. 

   6

   Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest and remaining cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Thinly slice pork crosswise. Divide rice and pork between plates. Top pork with glazed onion sauce. Spoon pineapple salsa over rice. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.