Ethiopian Inspired Pork & Vegetables

This week I decided to try some ideas inspired by different parts of the world.  My husband and I love to try food from different cultures and have discovered some great flavors.  I’ll be posting recipes inspired by Cuba, the Middle East, Thailand and, today, Ethiopia.

And here’s how you make Ethiopian Inspired Pork and Vegetables…

What you need:

PORK –

• 3 pounds pork loin roast
• 5 Tablespoons Berbere spice (see note in instructions)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 small tomatoes (not cherry) cut in half
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Couscous –

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cup dry couscous
• 1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Vegetables –

• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• ½ white onion, quartered and sliced
• 1 carrot thinly sliced (I use the slicing part of an old grater)  
• 1 potato – cooked whole and then cut into medium chunks
• 1 ½ Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• Salt and lemon pepper to taste

How to Do it:

PORK –

Mix the berbere powder with the olive oil.  NOTE:  Berbere is the Ethiopian version of curry.  It is a blend of several spices.  But I am the LAZY gastronome, so I just bought a premade blend.  It is spicy, so be warned!

Rub the pork with the lemon juice and the berbere paste.  Place fat side up in a crock-pot with the tomatoes around it.  Cover about half way with the broth – do not cover fully.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat and cook on low for about 5 hours, or until the meat is fork tender.  Turn to warm while you prepare the other meal components.

Couscous –

Skin the garlic by pushing gently with the flat side of a knife until the skin cracks.  Be careful not to crush the garlic.

After the skins are removed, thinly slice each clove.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic on medium heat until it is golden brown.

Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous.  Cover and let sit while you prepare the vegetables.

Before serving, fluff with a fork and add the butter until it is melted, then stir in the cilantro.

Vegetables –

Prepare all the vegetables first  

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the potato pieces until they begin to brown.  Add the other vegetables 

and cook, stirring occasionally, until the start to get tender.  Add the cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well.

Serve everything hot!

Serves 4