Here’s a tasty way to stretch your grocery dollar. Tender, slow-cooked carnitas paired with orzo pasta and sauteed peppers, all tossed in a deep, complex red mole sauce. A fusion dish that’s rich, smoky, and packed with layered Mexican flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast (1-1/2 to 2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 each medium green, sweet red and yellow peppers, chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup red mole sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup quesadilla or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Optional: Chopped cilantro and sour cream
Instructions
Steps:
1. Place pork in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Bake at 325° until tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove pork from the oven. Increase oven setting
to 350°.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large skillet,
saute peppers and onion in oil until crisp-tender. In a greased 13×9-in. baking pan, combine the
orzo, peppers, and onion.
3. In a small saucepan, whisk the chicken broth, mole sauce, tomato paste, and remaining salt.
Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Pour over orzo and vegetables. Stir in pork; sprinkle
with cheese. Cover and bake until heated through, 35-40 minutes. Uncover; broil 3-4 in. from
the heat until cheese is golden brown, 4-5 minutes. If desired, top with chopped cilantro and
serve with sour cream.
4. FREEZE OPTION: Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in the
refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake casserole
as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through.
