COCHINITA PIBIL

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

THIS CLASSIC MEXICAN DISH IS usually made with pork. My cochinita pibil is made with jackfruit, which, after an hour or two of cooking, takes on the texture and flavor of pulled pork. I season it and roast it in banana leaves to keep it from drying out and really give the flavors a chance to intensify. After getting some pickled onions all set, I serve the savory shredded jackfruit on the banana leaves themselves, with a few warm tortillas on the side. A great recipe for a crowd, you can set it all out on a platter and friends can make little tacos and stand and snack as they please.

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

6 to 8 chiles de árbol, stems removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

Leaves from 4 sprigs oregano

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon safflower oil

2 (20-ounce) cans young jackfruit, drained

1 banana leaf, cut into 2 (9 x 12-inch) rectangles (see Chef’s Note)

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 teaspoon of the salt and the vinegar and sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from the heat, and add the red onion; stir to coat. Transfer the pickled onions to a bowl and chill in the fridge.

2. Place the chiles in a small bowl or heat-safe container and pour in enough boiling water to cover. Cover the container and allow to steep for 5 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

4. In a pan over low heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, clove, peppercorns, and chiles (reserve the liquid). Toast the spices, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they become fragrant. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the remaining teaspoon of salt, the oregano and lime juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and ¼ cup of the liquid used to steep the chiles. Blend until smooth.

5. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the safflower oil and add the jackfruit. Stir this mixture occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The liquid will begin cooking out of the jackfruit and it will become soft enough to press it apart, using your spoon. Press the large chunks of jackfruit apart and add the spice mixture from the blender. Allow this to cook down, as the jackfruit absorbs the spices, and it begins to “shred” and resemble pulled pork, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

6. Lay out both sections of the banana leaf so that they overlap in the middle and form a cross. Transfer the jackfruit to the middle and fold the leaves into a pouch. Transfer the pouch to a baking dish or sheet pan and bake for 40 minutes.

7. Remove the pouch from the baking dish and unwrap on a platter or large plate. Serve with warm tortillas and the pickled onions.

CHEF’S NOTE: Banana leaves should be readily available at most Asian or Mexican grocery stores.