Yucatecan Pickled Onions Food

YUCATáN-STYLE PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large jar, add sliced onions and about 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover and shake well. To the jar, add a splash of olive oil, cover, and shake again. Repeat with a splash of lime juice.
• Add a pinch of salt to the sliced habanero, then add to jar. Add remaining olive oil, lime juice, two big pinches of salt, and two big pinches of oregano. Shake one more time to fully combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably 24, before using. (Store for up to two weeks in lidded jar in refrigerator.)

YUCATECAN PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups water, onion, garlic, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and drain.
• Return onions and garlic to the saucepan. Add vinegar and all remaining ingredients. Add enough water to saucepan just to cover onions. Bring to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and cool. Transfer onion mixture to bowl, cover, and chill overnight.
• Drain onions and serve.

YUCATECAN PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss salt and onion together; let sit until onion releases some of its liquid, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer to jar along with peppercorns, oregano, cumin, and garlic, and pour over vinegar; seal with lid.
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours before using.

YUCATECAN PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups water, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon coarse salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then boil 1 minute. Drain. Return onions and garlic to same saucepan. Add vinegar and all remaining ingredients. Add enough water to saucepan just to cover onions. Bring to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and cool. Transfer onion mixture to bowl, cover, and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
• Drain onions and serve.

COCHINITA PIBIL

Steps:

• Score the fat of the pork, evenly salt the meat and set it aside while you make the marinade. In a dry saucepan over medium heat, toast the garlic cloves until they're charred all over, then remove. In the same pan, add cumin, peppercorns, allspice, red-chile powder, cloves and cinnamon. Toast until you can really smell the cumin and pepper. Grind spices, and mix in a food processor until smooth with the oregano, charred garlic, achiote paste, all the citrus zest and about half the juice.
• Place two overlapping banana leaves on your work surface, and put the pork at the center. Rub the spice paste all over the meat, arrange the sliced white onion on top and roll the whole thing up, folding the sides like wrapping paper. (If it unravels, tie it closed with some kitchen twine.) Set the parcel in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight.
• Heat oven to 300. Put the parcel on a rack, or a ring of scrunched-up aluminum foil, inside a heavy pot with a half cup of water at the bottom. Bake with the lid on until the meat is very tender and yields easily to a fork, about 4 hours. Meanwhile, mix the chopped red onion with remaining citrus juices, salt and habanero, and set aside.
• While the meat is still warm, carefully transfer the parcel to a serving dish. Use a fork to shred the meat, spoon over the cooking juices and mix well. Serve with pickled onions, warmed tortillas and halved limes.