Mexican pulled pork with red cabbage salad

It was probably a few weeks ago when Bree (Miss Twinkle herself) from Twinkle in the Eye wrote on her blog about an American cooking challenge. She mentioned she was doing pulled pork and this is something that I've wanted to try for a long time. I've seen it on so many US blogs I read but its not something that's really done here in Australia. Well, let me tell you. It should be. It was fantastic. I can remember having a few pigs on the spit in my time and I love the way the pork goes all stringy. Doing a pulled pork you purposely make it all stringy.

A couple of weeks ago I had Granny Smith apples to use up and I had visions of pulled pork with a roast caramel chutney/sauce thingy and then I got sick so didn't feel like eating or cooking anything. I had the red cabbage to use up from last Monday's mystery ingredient challenge and I found this Mexican Street Salad by Jamie Oliver. It steered me into the direction of cooking the pork 'Mexican' style.

Jamie's Mexican Street Salad had quite a few more ingredients than what I had but the simple dressing of lime, olive oil and coriander paste made this salad sing. I didn't have chilli either so just used a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce.

Limes were 6 for $2 at the store this week and I went crazy. I squeezed fresh lime juice on everything and my mouth is still singing. I've also got two lots of pork put away in the freezer so I'll be enjoying this dish again very soon.

Mexican Pulled Pork with Red Cabbage Salad

Pork:

• 1 piece pork scotch fillet (or boneless pork shoulder)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbs ground cumin
• 2 tbs ground coriander
• 1 tbs sweet paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tin diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper

Salad:

• finely shredded red cabbage
• grated carrot
• fresh or tube coriander
• 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

To serve:

• soft tortillas
• avocado
• lime wedges

1. Place all ingredients for the pork into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours (alternatively, cook on a stove top on low heat for 2 hours or until pork is tender or in an ovenproof dish in the oven).
2. Remove pork from the slow cooker and, using two forks, 'shred' or 'pull' pork until fine shreds are formed.
3. Return to the tomato sauce in the slow cooker once shredded.
4. Combine salad ingredients.
5. To serve, warm tortillas in oven
6. Pile pulled pork, salad and avocado into tortilla and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

I think I've found my new way of eating pork.