Here's a nice recipe for those of you that want to have
cochinillo, but cannot make it to Spain:
Cochinillo (Roast Pig)Ingredients:
One 10-15 pound suckling pig (1 Lb per person) prepared by the butcher for roasting
8-10 cloves garlic, or to taste
2 tsp dried oregano
3-4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups sour (Seville) orange juice or 1 cup sweet orange juice mixed with 1/2 cup each fresh lime juice and lemon juice
2 bay leaves, crumbled
Olive oil for basting
1 apple, orange, lemon or lime for garnish
Directions:
This recipe uses a whole pig. Make sure you have a large enough pan with generous sides, so the fat will not splatter. Be sure and check if this will fit in your oven and in your refrigerator for overnight marinating.
1. One day before cooking, wash the pig inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. In a mortar, combine the garlic, oregano and salt, and mash to a paste. Place the pig in a large pan, rub it inside and out with the garlic paste, season it liberally with salt and pepper and pour the soured juices over it. Sprinkle with the crumbled bay leaves. Cover the pig with aluminum foil and refrigerate 24 hours.
2. Three to 5 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 375 F degrees, remove the pig from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Place the pig in a shallow aluminum foil-lined roasting pan, insert a wad of foil in the mouth to keep it open, cover the ears with foil and brush the skin with oil. Insert a meat thermometer in the hind leg, making sure it does not touch bone.
3. Roast the pig 1 hour, lower the oven to 350F degrees and bake 2-5 hours more (depending upon the size of the pig), basting frequently with oil, juices, and reserved marinade. Remove the foil from the ears halfway through the baking time.
4. When the pig is done to an internal temperature of 185F-190F degrees, the skin is a cordovan brown, and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork, transfer to a large platter and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before carving. (The meat will be very well done and practically falling from the bones). Remove the foil from the mouth and replace it with your choice of fruit.
Makes 10-12 servings. I usually make this at Christmas time because it is sinfully fattening, and it is a family tradition from España, that and turrones and my Christmas is made!
I usually get my pig from my local grocer, I order it at least a month in advance as a special order.
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JasMadrid, in Miami and places where Cubans dwell like in Florida we call it "Masitas de Puerco." A Cuban word for cerdo, but some Cubans also call them Masitas de Cerdo too. Mayhaps it is called puerco in the Canary Island because I have noticed that a lot of Cuban words are from that region of Spain, like "Mojo," the marinade we use to make masitas and "Guagua" for autobus. In English a rough translation would be "Pork Chunks" I make these at least once a month with platanos maduros!
Here is a wonderful recipe for
Masitas de Puerco !
Ingredients:
2-1/2 lb. fresh pork loin
12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup lime juice, the green one, don't use lemons!
2 cups water
1 cup pure Spanish olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 fresh onion sliced into rings
lime wedges
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
Directions:
Cut pork into 2 inch chunks. To prepare the
Mojo, or marinade: mix together garlic, chopped onion, orange juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, oregano, cumin and salt. Pour over pork chunks and marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove meat from marinade. Place in pot with two cups of water and 1/2 cup olive oil. Simmer, uncovered until all water boils away -- about 30 to 45 minutes. Brown the pork in the oil until crispy on the outside -- DO NOT overcook! Add onion slices and saute briefly. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with white rice and plantains.
I have used and adapted to my taste both of these recipes many times and are listed at the
epicurian website. Buen Provecho!
at 8:40 AM and can't wait to go home and try!
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