Description
This recipe marries risotto, one of Italy’s most comforting dishes, with Spanish Caribbean flavors. The risotto is then topped with pork nuggets that are cooked until tender and then lightly fried. The risotto and nuggets can be enjoyed separately but are best together.
From Meseidy Rivera of The Noshery.
Ingredients
- FOR THE PORK NUGGETS:
- 3 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Oregano
- 4 cloves Garlic, Pressed
- ½ cups Bitter Orange Juice (See Note)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
- 3-½ pounds Pork Shoulder, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes
- 8 cups Water
- Vegetable Oil, As Needed For Frying
- ½ Onion, Julienned
- FOR THE RISOTTO:
- 3-½ cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Onion, Finely Diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- Kosher Salt, As Needed
- 1 cup Dry White Wine
- 1 pinch (large) Saffron
- 1 cup Canned Coconut Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- ¼ cups Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ cups Chopped Cilantro
Preparation
For the pork nuggets:
Combine salt, oregano, garlic, bitter orange juice (see note), olive oil and white vinegar in a small bowl and mix until well combined. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine cubed pork and marinade; mix until pork is evenly coated. Refrigerate for a least 1 hour.
Place pork with marinade in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, continue to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and pork is tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a colander or a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Transfer remaining liquid to glass and set in the refrigerator to cool. This is will help separate the broth from the fat later.
Set oven to lowest temperature. Line a oven safe dish with paper towels. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet. Working in batches, fry the pork nuggets until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper-towel-lined dish. Sprinkle with onion. Tent with foil and place in the oven to keep warm.
Skim solidified fat from the broth in the refrigerator, set aside.
For the risotto:
Bring stock to a low simmer in a medium pot.
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion, cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and sprinkle with salt. Sauté rice for 2 minutes.
Add wine and saffron, bring to a simmer and continuously stir until rice has absorbed most of the wine. Add a ladleful of heated stock to the rice, continue stirring until rice has absorbed most of the stock. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time and stirring, allowing rice to absorb the stock before adding more. Cook until rice is al dente.
Add coconut milk and stir until rice has absorbed most of the coconut milk but remains a little loose. Stir in butter. Turn off heat, stir in cheese and cilantro.
Divide risotto between bowls and top with pork nuggets. Heat reserved pork broth in the microwave for 1 minute, or until hot. Drizzle broth over pork nuggets and garnish with more cilantro and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Notes:
1. Bitter orange juice can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
2. The pork nuggets can be boiled a day ahead of time and then fried when ready to serve.
