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Dinner Tonight: Pork Tacos with Poblano and Tomatillo Salsa

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, April 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM

It's funny how a missing ingredient can lead to a whole new dinner. The original idea was to remake the poblano tacos I had so loved from last summer. It's a relatively easy recipe, but I was missing something, and so I searched through my fridge to see what kind of taco I could get away with. That's where I find some leftover pork and a whole gob of tomatillos from a previous batch of salsa.

I snatched this salsa from a grilled nacho recipe by Bobby Flay. I love the way he blends the tang of tomatillos and the heat of the poblanos with the slight relief of honey. You'll only need about half the salsa for the tacos, but I think it's good enough to just dip tortilla chips in—or eat with a spoon. I'd make the whole thing.

Though the pork is a great balance for the salsa, some skirt steak would be a perfect choice, too. As would shrimp, now that I think about it.

Pork Tacos with Poblano and Tomatilllo Salsa

- serves 3 to 4 -

Ingredients

1 pound pork loin, sliced thinly
Juice of 3 limes
8 tomatillos, husk removed and washed
2 poblanos
1 red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons honey
12 corn tortillas
1/4 chopped white onion

Procedure

1. Turn on the broiler or grill to high. Lightly coat the poblanos, tomatillos, and red onion in canola oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook the poblanos and tomatillos for about 5 minutes a side, or until charred on all sides. Cook the onions until browned, just a couple minutes a side. Transfer the onions and tomatillos to a bowl and set aside. Wrap the poblanos in a bag and steam for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the pork into a bowl and pour in the juice of 2 limes. Sprinkle a pinch of a salt on top, stir until coated, and set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Rub the skins off the poblanos, and remove their seeds and stems. Add them to the blender, along with the tomatillos, red onion, garlic, half of the cilantro, juice of 1 lime, and the honey. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook the pork in a skillet set over high heat for just a minute or so, or until it is no longer pink. Remove the pork. Warm the corn tortillas for a few seconds on each side in the empty skillet.

5. Serve the pork with the tortillas, salsa, chopped onion, cilantro, and salt to taste.

About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a freelance writer in Chicago. He is the co-founder of The Paupered Chef and spends most of his time playing with the new cooking gadgets he got from his wedding.

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Tags: Mexican, poblano peppers, pork, salsas, spicy, tacos, tomatillos

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