Caribbean-Style Pork with Hot Frying Peppers
Also known as Italian Frying peppers. Cubanelle peppers are large and blocky. They are light green in appearance and they mature red. The thin walls of this pepper make it an excellent choice for frying. This pepper is not hot.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of pork shoulder or butt
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup mild-flavored honey
4 or 5 garlic cloves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound cubanelles, stemmed, seeded and sliced about 1/2
1 large sweet onion, halved lengthwise, then cut into long slices
Instructions:
Trim the thin layer of connective tissue and excess fat from the pork. Mix the vinegar and honey together in a dish large enough to hold the pork. Mash the garlic very well or put it through a press and add it to the dish. Marinate the pork, covered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning two or three times.
Remove the pork from the refrigerator about an hour before ready to serve. Transfer to a plate and reserve the marinade. Preheat the oven to 400F for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp.of olive oil over high heat in an ovenproof saute pan large enough to hold the pork without crowding. Salt and pepper the pork, and saute it for about 7 minutes, or until it is well browned all over.
Baste the pork well with the marinade and transfer it to the oven. Roast the pork for about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160F, basting two or three times with the marinade. When the pork is done, place it on a board. Let it stand while you cook the peppers and make the sauce.
In a large saute pan over high heat, saute the peppers and the onion in the remaining olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned and crisp-tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
While the peppers are cooking, pour the remaining marinade into the roasting pan along with a little water and salt and pepper. Reduce by half and adjust the seasoning. Slice the pork about 1/4″ thick. Place the peppers on a serving dish, arrange the pork slices on top, and pour the cooking juices over all. Serve hot.
Recipe from The Chile Pepper Book by Carolyn Dille and Susan Belsinger.