Frozen Margaritas & Tacos

Al Pastor Tacos and Frozen Margaritas

Frozen Margarita:

2 ounces blanco tequila

¾ ounces orange liqueur

1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

garnish: salt rim

garnish: lime wheel

Salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass.

Add tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice into a blender, top with 1 cup ice cubes. Blend until the mixture is smooth and frothy.

Pour into prepared margarita glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Al Pastor Tacos:

2 pounds boneless porkchops

For the marinade:

2 ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed

2 guajillo chilies, seeded and stemmed

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon achiote powder

1 tablespoons adobo from canned chipotles in adobo

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

For cooking:

neutral oil for searing

For serving:

fresh corn tortillas

pineapple salsa (recipe below)

Slice the pork chop into 3-4 thin sheets and lightly pound each one to tenderize. Transfer to a plastic bag.

Make the marinade: toast the ancho and guajillo chilies in a dry sauté pan until fragrant. Add enough water to the pan to cover the chilies. Let the chilies soak for a few minutes until soft. Remove the softened chilies and transfer to a blender. Reserve the soaking water. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. If needed, you can add some of the soaking liquid to help the blender puree. Pour the marinade in the bag with the pork chops. Let the pork chops marinate overnight.

Before cooking, remove the pork chops from the marinade and cut the meat into strips. Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan. Cook the pork over medium-high heat until lightly seared and cooked through. Serve the al pastor over warm fresh corn tortillas and top with pineapple salsa.

Pineapple Salsa:

pineapple, small diced

lime juice

mint

1/2 habanero chili, seeded and minced

kosher salt, to taste

Mixed together all ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt.