Cuban Roast Pork with Black Beans and Rice

A few days ago while I was showing my dad a few (a lot) of recipes on the internet, suggesting which ones I thought would be good for dinner this week, he was hit with an idea. Cuban! I began my search for a roast pork recipe. It didn't take long to discover "Lechón Asado (Cuban-Style Roast Pork)" on theKitchn. I didn't have to think very hard about what to serve with the pork. Black beans and rice was almost an immediate response. Once again, I searched for a tasty-looking recipe and discovered one on a blog I had just recently stumbled upon. "Arroz Congri (Cuban Rice and Black Beans)," from skinnytaste, I hoped would meet my expectations for an authentic taste.

These two dishes are very easy to make. Although this was my first time roasting pork, my dad and I agreed it turned out really well. I basted the pork with the marinade multiple times while it was cooking and the result was an extremely moist piece of meat. I have never had authentic Cuban roast pork before, so I won't be able to judge that part of the meal, but it was definitely a recipe to try again. As for the black beans and rice, the flavor was the closest that I've had to the black beans and rice I had in a Cuban restaurant in the Florida Keys a few years ago .

Lechón Asado (Cuban-Style Roast Pork)

Ingredients:

For the mojo marinade...
15 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup lime juice
1 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup olive oil
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or loin of pork

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or container. Add the pork and let marinate 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pork and some marinade in a baking dish. Slowly roast in the oven until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 155 degrees F. Spoon marinade over it every so often to insure it doesn't dry out.
Remove from oven and let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Arroz Congri (Cuban Rice and Black Beans)
Serves 5

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper, chopped
small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
15 oz can black beans (don't drain)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
pinch oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a heavy, medium-sized pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
Add rice, beans, water, cumin, bay leaf, oregano and salt and pepper.
Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice absorbs most of the water and just barely skims the top of the rice.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure you have a good seal on your cover, the steam cooks the rice. After 20 minutes, shut the flame off and let it sit, covered, for another 5 minutes (do not open the lid).



Sources
theKitchn and skinnytaste