cilantro tirade.

Mara's dad Dennis really hates cilantro. He used to just dislike it, but at some point he became offended by its overbearingness and now they're pretty much mortal enemies.

Thus: while we used to just sneak cilantro into things and wait for him to detect it or not, it's a gamble no one is willing to risk anymore, lest you find yourself on the receiving end of a Cilantro Tirade. So it goes on the side now.

Last night's goal was "fajitas", that Tex-Mex concept that pretty much means "DIY tacos". I marinated some steak, a few shrimp were defrosted, and I threw a few country-style pork ribs in a carnitas marinade and stuck them in the oven for a couple of hours.

The pork was easily the best protein of the night, seen below in a pre-cilantro love pile with chipotle slaw, calabacitas, peppers and onions, pico de gallo, and a little sour cream.

My result was the resulting result of glancing at Guility Carnivore's Ghetto Carnitas and using what we had at hand, so we'll call this an adaptation. Basically the meat braises in the broth/juice/fat mixture until tender, then turn up the heat and crisp the outside. I used apple cider and a little apple vinegar last night, but orange juice is much more authentic. Sorry this isn't really a recipe, but hey.

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ghetto carnitas.

pork shoulder (or country ribs), cut into two-inch chunks
orange juice
chicken broth
bay leaves
cinnamon stick, broken in half
ground coriander
ground cumin
chipotle chili powder
garlic powder
garlic
bacon
oregano

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calabacitas.

1 slice bacon, diced

1 onion

2 tbsp butter
3 small zucchini
1 small can diced green chile
1 tsp oregano
fresh corn
some kind of cheese

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