CHEF and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.
WITH my many visits around the Mediterranean the style of cooking I use for this Adobo pork, saffron and paprika rice suits me.
It allows me to get all the ingredients together then just leave for a few hours to slowly cook.
Adobo is a marinade composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt and garlic to enhance the flavour of the meat (usually raw).
Its origins stem from the Spanish and Portuguese cuisines and different variants of the dishes can be found around the world.
Adobo (marinade) was used as a preservation for meat following the discovery of the Americas, when surplus meat was needed for the warmer months.
The marinade was applied, paprika was known to have anti-bacterial properties thus allowing the capsaicins in the spice to dissolve the fats to the point of allowing the marinade to absorb more into the meat.
Obviously with the invention of refrigeration, the marinade then became a base flavouring to the many of the dishes from countries around the world such as Mexico, Peru and the Philippines.
This is the kind of dish I have cooked many times over the years – it’s simple, comforting and sparks memories of places such as Portugal and Spain.
For more on Paul’s blog, visit his website at recipesfrommytravels.com or his Facebook page – facebook.com/RECIPESFROMMYTRAVELS .
Adobo Pork, Saffron and Paprika Rice
For the pork
800 grams of diced pork
2 Onions finely sliced
2 garlic cloves finely sliced
2 chilli finely sliced
2 peppers chopped
2tbsps of smoked paprika
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
200ml Vegetable Stock
1 lemon ( Just zest required )
1tsp of Dried oregano
Salt and pepper for seasoning.
1tbsp of vegetable oil
Lemon juice to taste
For the rice
1 onion finely sliced
300g, long-grain rice
1tsp Smoked Paprika
Pinch of saffron threads ( optional )
500ml vegetable stock
Method
1. In a large frying pan add the oil and in two batches sear the pork.
2. Add the onions, garlic, chilli and peppers and gently fry for 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the paprika, oregano, tinned tomatoes and 200 ml of vegetable stock.
4. Slow cook on the hob or in a slow cooker for around 4 hours, stirring occasionally until the meat begins to fall apart.
Add more stock if necessary.
5. To make the rice, get a large saucepan on the heat, add the oil until hot then add the onions and gently cook for a couple of minutes, then add the rice (dry fry for 2 more minutes), stir in the smoked paprika and saffron.
6. Carefully add your stock, bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat.
7. Cook to the instructions on the pack ( usually 20 minutes until cooked )
8. Season the pork stew with salt and pepper and the lemon juice.
9. Serve with some boiled new potatoes or even potato croquettes and add a sprinkle of lemon zest on top of the pork stew.
