Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Latin ChicThe National Restaurant Association recently surveyed over a thousand chefs and found that Latin American cuisine is one of the "hottest" ethnic cuisines in 2008. Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect occasion to bring the dynamic flavor of Latin food to your family's dinner table. To help, the National Pork Board has teamed up with the co-authors of Latin Chic: Entertaining with Style and Sass, Carolina Buia and Isabel Gonzalez, to offer recipe ideas and tips.  Pork Medallions with Mirasol and Cherry Cream Sauce
2 pork tenderloins (14-16 ounces)
Olive or vegetable oil
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
4 finely garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons or more of Peruvian mirasol pepper paste (also known as aji Amarillo*)
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons of loosely packed, finely chopped flat parsley
1 tablespoon of celery leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat dry and season the pork tenderloins. Coat a large, ovenproof skillet with oil and heat. Add the tenderloins to the skillet and over moderate heat, brown all sides of the pork. Place the tenderloins on a plate. Meanwhile, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until the onions are soft and the garlic is just starting to brown. Lower the heat and add the wine. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Return the pork to the skillet, add a 1/2 cup of water, and place the skillet in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F. Remove pork onto a plate and tent with a large piece of aluminum foil. Return skillet to the stovetop and over low to moderate heat, stir in the mirasol pepper paste, the cherries, the sugar, and the heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens and lightly coats the wooden spoon. Fold in the chopped parsley and celery leaves and adjust the seasonings to taste. Add the pork back into the skillet, coating. Cut the pork into medallions and serve over quinoa or a side of white beans. Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information per serving without quinoa:
Calories: 360 Fat: 16g Saturated fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 125mg Sodium: 13mg Carbohydrates: 14g
Protein: 29g Fiber: 1g Nutrition information per serving with 1/2 cup quinoa:
Calories: 470 Fat: 18g Saturated fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 125mg Sodium: 140mg Carbohydrates: 34g
Protein: 33g Fiber: 4g  Velveted Pork Tacos
2 pounds boneless pork chops
1/3 cup corn starch
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 package of 12 flour tortillas ("fajita" or smaller size tortillas)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 red onion
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 8-ounce can of corn niblets
1 12-ounce jar tomato salsa
1 8-ounce container sour cream (regular or non-fat)
1 8-ounce package shredded cheese
Salt and pepper Cut pork chops into small, bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix together corn starch, oil, cumin and 1 teaspoon black pepper until smooth, like a runny paste. Add pork to mixture and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. While pork marinates, wash cilantro and pluck whole leaves from stems, about 3/4 cup worth. Place whole cilantro leaves in a bowl. Thinly slice 1 red onion and add to cilantro, creating a salad. (You can adjust cilantro/red onion ratio to taste.) Add a dash of black pepper, one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of olive oil, toss to coat and set aside. After pork has marinated, cook it in batches. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a non-stick sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. When oil comes to temperature, cook half the pork pieces (without removing the marinade). Cook until the outside of the pork pieces are brown and a crust has formed and the inside is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. If needed, add more oil to the pan, and then cook the second half of the marinated pork. Once finished, sprinkle cooked pork with salt to taste. To assemble tacos warm tortillas according to directions on the package. Take one tortilla and smear a teaspoon of sour cream down the middle. Top with 7-8 chunks of pork. Atop pork, place a spoonful of salsa, then top with cilantro red onion salad, a teaspoon of corn kernels and pinch of cheese. Fold over to enjoy! Makes 6 servings (12 tacos) *For a tapas version of this recipe, make the tacos smaller and seal with bamboo toothpicks. Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 950 Fat: 57g Saturated fat: 23g
Cholesterol: 155mg Sodium: 1110mg Carbohydrates: 53g
Protein: 44g Fiber: 3g Nutrition information based on preparation of recipe instructions as listed above. Where amounts were not specified, the following ingredients and quantities were used in assembly: 8 ounce can of corn, 12 ounce jar of salsa, 8 ounce container sour cream and 1 teaspoon oil for cooking the pork (as directed in recipe). FIVE TIPS TO SPICE UP YOUR PLATE Uno: Choose Food to Fit the Theme. Create your menu around typical Latin fare. One suggestion for the main course is pork, a very traditional ingredient in Hispanic food. Pork's mild flavor offers versatility for the dynamic flavors of Hispanic recipes. You will impress your guests and let the unique flavors of Latin cuisine shine through. Dos: Simple Substitutions. Look for ways to swap certain ingredients to make your menu more unique. For example, include cabbage in your tacos instead of lettuce. Or, exchange your typical green peppers for yellow or red peppers for a whole new taste. Pork can replace chicken in traditional dishes such as enchiladas, tacos or burritos. Tres: Artsy Dipping. For festive guacamole and salsa bowls, make your own with dried corn husks! Soak the husks in warm water until pliable, bend into the shape of a bowl, tie off corners with strips of another husk, place small bowl in middle and let dry. When dry, remove bowl and the husk will maintain its shape. Quatro: Margarita Makeover. No Latin celebration is complete without margaritas. Instead of regular table salt rimmers, add a twist to your drink presentation by rimming glasses with colorful salts, which are popular and easy-to-find. Try Hawaiian red salt, Peruvian pink salt or Black Lava sea salt. Just keep in mine that these specialty salts can be coarser than regular salt, so you may need to grind them for a minute with mortar and pestle before use. Cinco: Cater to Kiddies. To make the evening special for the little ones, put out a "mocktail table" where they can concoct their own juice drinks with colorful straws and garnishes. Set up another table to serve as a pork taco bar with all the necessary trimmings like salsa, sour cream and cheese. FIVE TIPS FOR ENTERTAINING WITH STYLE Uno: Presentation is Everything. A beautiful and lively celebration can truly set the mood for the evening. Decorate the patio with strings of brightly colored lights or brighten up the table with candles. Dos: Tune In. No celebration is complete without music. Consider hiring an authentic mariachi band or download some regional music so your guests can show off their dance moves. Tres: Stylish Party Favors. Festive party favors are always a nice touch. Popular throughout Mexico, petite Mexican Aztec dolls are inexpensive and made by Mexican Indians whose populations and traditions are disappearing. You can find them online and your purchase and gift will help this community while bringing joy to your guests. Quatro: Take it To-Go. There is usually plenty of food left over after a gathering and finding space in the fridge is always a challenge. Purchase small, inexpensive containers and wrap up your delicious pork dishes to send home with guests. Place the containers in colorful handle-bags and add a hand-written note, thanking them for coming. Cinco: Clean-up Tricks. Cleaning up after a party needn't be dreaded. When possible, serve food on colorful rattan or reed baskets lined with wax paper. This will save hours on washing dishes. www.Latinchicstyle.com | www.TheOtherWhiteMeat.com Edited by Ellen Schofield | 