Mojo Pork with Sweet Plantains

Jalapeños are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapeños have a balanced combination of flavor and heat. The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties.

Yield:4 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
1/2 cup fresh mint
3/4 cup orange juice
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup), plus wedges for serving
5 cloves garlic
1/2 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 6 ounces each)
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 15 -ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe yellow plantain, halved lengthwise then crosswise through the peel

Directions
Preheat the broiler. Puree the cilantro, mint, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mojo sauce to a large bowl. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and add to the bowl; toss to coat and set aside.

Bring 3/4 cup water, the rice, beans and 1/2 cup of the remaining mojo sauce to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat (reserve the remaining mojo sauce for topping). Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and arrange on a broiler pan (or a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet). Add the plantain halves cut-side up to the pan. Broil until the pork and plantains are golden and the pork is cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Top the pork with the remaining mojo sauce and cilantro. Serve with the rice, plantains and lime wedges.

Photograph by Ryan Liebe
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine