This recipe is very similar to that Nuyorican favorite, Pernil, or roast pork shoulder. But it differs in terns if ingredients. It’s termed Pork Adobo or Adobo Pork, yet the adobo seasoning has a definite Asian motif—it includes  soy sauce, rice vinegar, and scallions. It brings to mind more of a Filipino adobo. Also, the recipe calls for lots of garlic, which we love. Vampires don’t stand a chance against us. The final result is heavenly. My wife, who is a tough critic, states that this recipe is one of the best she’s ever encountered. That says a lot.

The main ingredient is cubed pork. We did the recipe with boneless pork shoulder, which rendered the right amount of fat in the cooking. This dish is traditionally served with steamed white rice rice. This time around we did it with yellow rice . And, final note: as stated, the recipe calls for rice vinegar which, these days, can be found in most supermarkets or Asian stores. If you don’t have, or can’t find rice vinegar, regular white vinegar will do (although purists will say it doesn’t impart the same flavor).nv

ADOBO  PORK

Ingredients:

14 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ to 2 pounds pork, not too lean, cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
1 cup water
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
2 scallions, sliced

Instructions:

  1. Place half the garlic in a bowl with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, pepper, and pork. Cover and allow to marinate 1-2 hours.
  2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan or skillet. Add the remaining garlic, and onion, and cook until golden. Add the meat, plus marinade, and 1 cup water, and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove cover and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve over rice and sprinkle with scallions.
    Yield: 4 servings.