Mojito Pork

As promised, tonight is the second half of our celebration of Cheap & Easy: A Cookbook for Girls on the Go.


We've made this recipe in the past using Seitan (a wheat gluten product), back when I was pescatarian, but tonight we're making use of some beautiful pork loin chops from Skagit River Ranch. The recipe is quick (save the marinading part) and easy, as promised, and definitely packed with flavor. It's intended to take the flavors of a Mojito (mint, rum and sugar) and add them to pork, peppers and onion to create a bright, spicy dish - and I think it succeeds. Dan made the marinade and got the rice going while I headed home from a friend's gallery show. Then I prepped the pork, he got it marinading, and I worked on the veggies. It all came together great.

Mojito Pork
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tspn grated lime zest
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbspn hot sauce
2 Tbspn honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 lb boneless pork loin chops, cut crossways into 1/3 inch wide strips
Olive Oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup light rum

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice, hot sauce, honey, garlic, and mint. Mix well and add the pork strips. Marinate at least 20 minutes, or overnight. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute onion and pepper over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add the pork strips, reserving the marinade. Stir-fry until the pork is cooked through, another 3-4 minutes. Remove the pork, onion, and pepper to a bowl. Add the reserved marinade to the hot pan and increase the heat to high. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir in the rum (it's a good idea to remove the pan from the heat, add the rum, then return it to the heat, just in case). Continue cooking the sauce as it reduces down and thickens, until it is the consistency of a glaze. Return the pork and veggies to the pan and toss to combine. Serve over rice.