Recipe by Jenny Martinez
Carnitas Avocado Cilantro Romaine Salad
Recipe by Jenny Martinez – Carnitas Avocado Cilantro Romaine Salad
This Carnitas Avocado Cilantro Romaine Salad bursts with vibrant freshness and rich, slow-cooked flavor in every bite. The crisp Fresh Express Hearts of Romaine Blend is piled high with tender, fall-apart carnitas, authentic Pico de Gallo, and a silky avocado cilantro lime dressing that ties it all together. It’s a hearty, mouth-watering salad that feels as indulgent as it is refreshing, perfect for satisfying your cravings.
Ingredients
Assembly
- 1 bag (9-ounces) Fresh Express® Hearts of Romaine Salad Blend
- Shredded carnitas
- Avocado Cilantro Lime dressing
- Pico de Gallo
Carnitas
- 5 cups pork lard
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt roast, cut into 4-inch cubes
- 1 ¼ white onions, divided
- 1 garlic head plus 3 cloves, divided
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 pound pork short ribs
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 (12-ounce) can cola
- 1 fresh orange, juice and peel
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 2 avocados
- 1 lime, squeezed
- ¼ white onion
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 serrano
Pico de Gallo
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- ½ white onion
- ½ bunch cilantro
Instructions
- In a large, deep cast-iron pot, melt lard over high heat. Once hot, carefully add the pork shoulder pieces with 1 whole onion (cut in half), the garlic head (cut in half horizontally), and bay leaves.
- In a cup, mix salt and ½ cup of water. Add to the frying oil.
- Sear the meat, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes. When the lard reaches a boil again, add the pork short ribs. Fry until the ribs are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Simmer the carnitas. Cover tightly (foil may help seal) and reduce the heat to low. Continue frying over low heat until the meat is fall-apart tender, about 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking or burning. Once cooked, remove and drain. Once cooled, shred the carnitas.
- For the Pico de Gallo, dice tomato, onion and cilantro. Mix together. Set aside.
- For the Cilantro Avocado Lime Dressing, add avocado, lime, mayonnaise, serrano, chicken bouillon, onion and garlic. Blend and pour into a squeezable jar.
- To serve, add the Fresh Express® Hearts of Romaine Blend to a bowl and top it off with carnitas, Pico de Gallo and a generous amount of the cilantro avocado lime dressing. Y Listo!
Made with
