Happy Cinco de Mayo, friends! As we all celebrate this day with the customary margaritas and tacos, I thought it might be appropriate to post my twist on a Mexican tradition...fajitas.
When I say "twist", I guess I should specify that we are taking fajitas to a new location...think tropical, think beach, think HAWAII. Yep, the Aloha State is the inspiration behind these hula pork fajitas and they are a great crowd pleaser.
I made these for my beloved college friends + spouses and this recipe comfortably fed all 6 of us with plenty of leftovers.
Hula Pork
Ingredients:
3 pounds pork shoulder roast, boneless
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice (I drained this from canned crushed pineapple which you'll need in a later recipe!)
2 teaspoons dried ginger
2/3 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cloves grated garlic
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I used red wine vinegar by accident and it still tasted awesome)
Throw it in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Be prepared for your house to smell like luau heaven.
After the 8 hours is up, shred the pork and set on warm until you're ready to serve.
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients:
1/2 small white onion
1 can of crushed pineapple, drained (use the juice for your hula pork!...see above)
1/2 medium sized red bell pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1 lime
Dice your onion and pepper into super small pieces. If you've read my previous posts you know I am in love with my Pampered Chef food chopper. I used that magical tool to achieve this diced perfection.
Throw that stuff in a bowl with your crushed pineapple, lime juice, and salt. Give it a good stir and let it set for a few hours to let the flavors get to know each other (or "marry" as my mom would say)
Practice some self control here and try not to eat it by the spoonful 😉
Coconut Rice
Ingredients:
Basmati or Jasmine rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can coconut milk
Prepare the rice according to package instructions, replacing some water with the coconut milk, adding salt at the end.
If you aren't into coconut (like my guests), you could prepare half the rice with the coconut milk in a separate pot or skip the coconut all together. I've had this both ways and it's delicious regardless!
Toppings & Garnish
Shredded coconut
Diced avocado
Plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you please)
Finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Pineapple salsa (listed above)
Warmed tortillas
Assemble your fajita with your own flare and share with your ohana and friends.
It's a new spin on your traditional Taco Tuesday or Fajita Friday (gah, I love alliteration!)
Happy cooking, happy eating, and happy Cinco de Mayo!