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Pork in Veracruz Sauce (Puntas a la Veracruzana)
Adriana Luna, who runs La Cocina de mi Mamá in Mexico City, showed us how to make puntas a la Veracruzana, a dish of sliced pork in garlicky tomato sauce that, to us, tasted both new and familiar. The term “puntas,” which translates from the Spanish as “tips,” refers to small pieces of meat; “a la Veracruzana” means in the style of Veracruz—that is, prepared with tomato, garlic, olives and capers. The sauce reflects the culinary influence of the Spanish, who arrived in 1519 in what is now the coastal state of Veracruz, on Mexican cuisine. Whereas “a la Veracruzana” typically is applied to fish, Luna used thin slices of pork loin to a delicious result—the mild, lean meat finds a perfect partner in the punchy, tangy-sweet sauce. We adapted her recipe, making it a simpler one-pan affair, but in the spirit of her dish, we use chopped fresh tomatoes, a healthy amount of garlic and finish the puntas with a good dose of parsley. Serve with charred tortillas or with rice and beans, and, if you like, offer pickled jalapeños on the side.
4
Servings
Don’t slice the pork thicker than ¼ inch or the pieces will be quite chewy when cooked. If you like, for easier slicing, freeze the chops until partially frozen so the knife blade glides through the meat. Also, when cooking the tomato sauce, simmer it down to a very thick consistency, as the accumulated juices from the pork will thin it out.
50 minutes
Ingredients
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1
pound boneless pork loin chops (about 1 inch thick), sliced no thicker than ¼ inch on the diagonal
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01Toss the pork with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet over high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the pork in an even layer and cook without stirring until well browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.
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Were excited to try this - but were very disappointed with the end result. Nothing special here - very average, common flavor profile. Brightening it up at the end with lemon juice didn't help at all.