February is Potato Lover’s Month: Casuelitas Video Recipe!
Not only is February the month for sweet amor, it’s Potato Lovers Month too. In addition to the many potato dishes that we all know and love (e.g. baked potatoes, hash browns or mashed), let’s celebrate other courses made with delicious Idaho Potatoes too. Let’s not forget Beef and Potato Tacos, Potato and Chorizo Enchiladas, Chile Verde with Potatoes and all the wonderful caldos (soups) made with spuds.
As you may know I like to jump outside of the box or as I say “scribble beyond the lines”, so here is a recipe called Casuelitas. It’s a very unique recipe made of masa and left-over mashed potatoes. For those of you who have never had the enjoyment of sinking your teeth into one…. it taste like a cross between a gordita and a potato croquette…. seriously UNFORGETTABLE. Ever since The Idaho Potato Commission introduced these lovely delights into my life, I’ve been craving them non- stop. This is my homage to Casuelitas …. take a look.
Ingredients for Casuelitas:
- 2 – cups masa flour for tamales
- 2 – teaspoons table salt
- 1 – teaspoon baking soda
- 4 – tablespoons lard
- 1 – cup hot water
- 2 – cups queso quesadilla cheese grated
- 2 – cups mashed Idaho Potatoes
- 1 – teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 – teaspoon chipotle powder
- 3/4 – teaspoon lime salt
Garnish:
- Carnitas (recipe below)
- grated cotija cheese
- salsa
- cilantro
- avocado
- crema
Ingredients for Carnitas:
- 3 – pounds pork boston butt (boneless)
- 1/2 – tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 – cup blood orange juice
- 1 – cup orange juice
- 1/2 – cup lime juice
- 1/4 – cup chopped garlic
- 2 – cup canola oil
- 1 – tablespoon chipotle pepper powder
- 1/4 – cup tomato paste
- Trim Pork Shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes
- Combine remaining ingredients – marinate pork (refrigerated) overnight in this mixture.
- Blot pork off – preheat oven to 300ºF
- Roast in a roasting pan with 1 cup of marinade for ½ hour – cover with parchment and then foil, add tomato paste mix well.
- Continue cooking 1 hour to 1 ½ hours until tender
- Cool slightly – then shred with 2 forks
- When all pork is shredded add juices from pan to shredded pork mix, mix well.
- At serving time: lightly brown shredded pork in a little olive oil.
- Season to taste.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions are my own.
