Tastes of Hawaii, part 1

A recent trip to Hawaii enabled us to get our fill of a tasty dish you can’t get anywhere else: Kalua pig! While we didn’t go to a luau this trip (which is where you get the real Kalua pig that’s been cooked all day in an imu), we did eat lots of Kalua pork: Kalua pork sandwiches, Kalua pork nachos, and Kalua pork pizza. In fact, we Kalua pigged out. (Yes, you knew that was coming. Sorry, but it just couldn’t be helped.)

So I came home thinking about Kalua pork, which is really the Hawaiian version of pulled pork. I did find a Kalua pig recipe in my The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors cookbook. But there is a pulled pork recipe that I’ve been making for years which is absolutely delicious and very easy to make. It’s a Mexican-style pulled pork called carnitas from The American Table by Ronald Johnson. I’ve used it to make sandwiches, quesadillas, and even eaten it just as is (it’s that good). A particular favorite is pulled pork sandwiches with Worcestershire mayonnaise from a Cooking Light recipe. It isn’t particularly Hawaiian, but it is delicious.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Worcestershire Mayonnaise

Pulled Pork (the carnitas recipe from “The American Table” by Ronald Johnson)

• 1 pork shoulder (4 to 5 pounds)
• Salt
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. coriander seeds
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, flattened with a knife
• 2 carrots, scraped and chopped

1. Place the pork in a large kettle with water to cover. Add salt to taste, and the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 2 ½ hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Take the pork out of the kettle and place in a shallow baking pan. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is browned all over.
3. Remove the meat from the oven, discard as much fat as possible, and shred the meat with a knife and fork.

Worcestershire Mayonnaise (from Cooking Light)

• 2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. whole-grain mustard
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Spread the Worcestershire mayonnaise on slices of crusty bread and top with the pulled pork. Add arugula leaves for a little extra peppery flavor and green veggie goodness.