PORK PICADILLO WITH SWEET CURRY CARROT PATTY
Pork Picadillo
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground pork
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
ground pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, ¼ cup juice reserved
2 bay leaves
½ cup raisins
⅓ cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add pork; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cumin, oregano, cinnamon, salt, allspice and pepper, then add tomatoes, their reserved juice and bay leaves. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Stir in raisins, olives and vinegar; cover and simmer for 10 minutes more.
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Depending on your supermarket, it might be hard to find a lean option for ground pork. But it’s easy to make your own in a food processor. Choose a lean cut, such as loin or tenderloin. Cut into pieces and then pulse in a food processor until uniformly ground (being careful not to over-process, turning the meat into mush). Or ask your butcher to grind it for you. Using lean pork instead of regular ground pork saves up to 164 calories and 5 grams of saturated fat per 3 ounces of cooked meat.
Serving size: about 1 cup
Per serving: 223 calories; 10 g fat(2 g sat); 3 g fiber; 19 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 11 mcg folate; 44 mg cholesterol; 12 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 435 IU vitamin A; 26 mg vitamin C; 59 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 410 mg sodium; 529 mg potassium
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (43% daily value)
Carbohydrate Servings: 1½
Exchanges: 1½ vegetable, ½ fruit, 2 lean meat, 1 fat
I used green tomatoes from our garden tonight in this dish, as well as stringed, julienned carrots (just 1/3 of a carrot, for color), yellow peppers, and a mix of olives.
Ground pork I used: 185 calories per 100g
Sweet curry carrot patties
250 – 300 g | 3 large carrots
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
100 g | 1 cup chickpea flour , sometimes called besan or gram flour. A garbanzo fava bean blend flour works well too.
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 big handful | ½ cup fresh cilantro, parsley or carrot tops , chopped finely
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds , or ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, or ¼ teaspoon ground fennel
60 ml | ¼ cup water
½ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
Grate the onion and the carrot. The grater attachment on a food processor does this job quickly and easily.
In a large bowl add the onion, carrot and garlic and mix well.
Add everything else except the water and stir together really well making sure all the spices are distributed well then add the water and stir again. You should have a really thick batter.
At this stage leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes but longer is fine.
If cooking in the oven, preheat to 400F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and drop the mixture in roughly ⅓ cup amounts then flatten them evenly to about ½ inch thick. Cook for 20-25 minutes flipping them at half way through the cooking time.
If cooking on a griddle or in a fry pan, heat over a medium heat then add roughly ⅓ cup amounts, flattening them evenly to about ½ inch thick. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes each side or until golden brown.
Only 84 calories each!
Total caloric intake with this meal is 307 calories and it is delicious.
Recipe posted by Annie Goussard Newton
Photo: Annie Goussard Newton
