Smoky Spiced Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas

I was recently just dying for enchiladas. I realized that I had not had an enchilada in TWO YEARS!! That is like the worst thing ever, isn’t it? And since it’s a little hard to have enchiladas with NO cheese I got really excited to use almond ricotta instead and see how it turned out. It turned out that it was allllll about the pulled pork in the spiced tomato sauce. Actually, more specifically, I think it is all about the cinnamon. It gives this amazing slightly sweet quality to the sauce that is so unique and absolutely seriously delicious. When it is paired with the red onions and the creamy cilantro almond ricotta- you have something soooo amazing. I served these up to friends who don’t even eat the way that I do and they were smitten. It is definitely even better with a little fresh avocado and cilantro served with it. Enjoy! Smoky Spiced Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas

By the way!!! Contrary to the picture, I should have made these in a big 9×13” pan which fits all of the enchiladas in it.

Spiced Pulled Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • Spiced Pulled pork:
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 5-6 pound Pork shoulder
  • 2 Red onions, rough chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, rough chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • Cilantro Almond Ricotta:
  • 8 ounces almond ricotta
  • ¼ cup minced cilantro
  • kosher salt
  • Red Onions:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 red onion
  • kosher salt
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • avocado slices
  • red onion slices
  • chopped fresh cilantro (I used micro cilantro)
Instructions
  1. For the Pulled Pork:
  2. Rub the Pork shoulder with kosher salt and set aside. In a heavy pot or dutch oven over high heat add the Pork shoulder and sear on all sides until the fat is rendered and there is a golden crust on each side- about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and then add the red onion, jalapeno and garlic. Cook until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon and broth and bring to a boil. Add a lid to the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer the pork for 3-4 hours, flipping the shoulder half way through.
  5. When the pork is falling off the bone remove the pork with tongs and transfer it to a bowl or baking dish. Discard the extra fat and gristle and shred the lean pork and set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, turn the heat to high with the remaining broth in the pot. Cook over high heat until the sauce has reduced to about 4 cups. Puree with a blender or immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside to cool.
  7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  8. For the Cheese:
  9. In a medium bowl, mash together the almond ricotta and the cilantro and then season to taste with kosher salt. Transfer the almond ricotta into a Ziploc and snip the corner.
  10. For the Onions:
  11. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside.
  12. For the Enchiladas:
  13. Dip each tortilla in the sauce completely. Pipe a line of ricotta onto the middle of the tortilla and then top with a little sauted onion and some pulled pork. Roll the enchilada up and place in a casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and fill the casserole dish.
  14. Pour half of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until slightly golden around the edges and hot.
  15. Heat the sauce and pour over the enchiladas and top with fresh avocado, thinly sliced red onion and fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

 

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Categorized: Dinner, Pork, Recipe Index, Tacos
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Smoky Spiced Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas

I was recently just dying for enchiladas. I realized that I had not had an enchilada in TWO YEARS!! That is like the worst thing ever, isn’t it? And since it’s a little hard to have enchiladas with NO cheese I got really excited to use almond ricotta instead and see how it turned out. It turned out that it was allllll about the pulled pork in the spiced tomato sauce. Actually, more specifically, I think it is all about the cinnamon. It gives this amazing slightly sweet quality to the sauce that is so unique and absolutely seriously delicious. When it is paired with the red onions and the creamy cilantro almond ricotta- you have something soooo amazing. I served these up to friends who don’t even eat the way that I do and they were smitten. It is definitely even better with a little fresh avocado and cilantro served with it. Enjoy! Smoky Spiced Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas

By the way!!! Contrary to the picture, I should have made these in a big 9×13” pan which fits all of the enchiladas in it.

Spiced Pulled Pork and Almond Ricotta Enchiladas
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • Spiced Pulled pork:
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 5-6 pound Pork shoulder
  • 2 Red onions, rough chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, rough chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • Cilantro Almond Ricotta:
  • 8 ounces almond ricotta
  • ¼ cup minced cilantro
  • kosher salt
  • Red Onions:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 red onion
  • kosher salt
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • avocado slices
  • red onion slices
  • chopped fresh cilantro (I used micro cilantro)
Instructions
  1. For the Pulled Pork:
  2. Rub the Pork shoulder with kosher salt and set aside. In a heavy pot or dutch oven over high heat add the Pork shoulder and sear on all sides until the fat is rendered and there is a golden crust on each side- about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and then add the red onion, jalapeno and garlic. Cook until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon and broth and bring to a boil. Add a lid to the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer the pork for 3-4 hours, flipping the shoulder half way through.
  5. When the pork is falling off the bone remove the pork with tongs and transfer it to a bowl or baking dish. Discard the extra fat and gristle and shred the lean pork and set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, turn the heat to high with the remaining broth in the pot. Cook over high heat until the sauce has reduced to about 4 cups. Puree with a blender or immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside to cool.
  7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  8. For the Cheese:
  9. In a medium bowl, mash together the almond ricotta and the cilantro and then season to taste with kosher salt. Transfer the almond ricotta into a Ziploc and snip the corner.
  10. For the Onions:
  11. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside.
  12. For the Enchiladas:
  13. Dip each tortilla in the sauce completely. Pipe a line of ricotta onto the middle of the tortilla and then top with a little sauted onion and some pulled pork. Roll the enchilada up and place in a casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and fill the casserole dish.
  14. Pour half of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until slightly golden around the edges and hot.
  15. Heat the sauce and pour over the enchiladas and top with fresh avocado, thinly sliced red onion and fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

 

Recipe by Heather Christo (http://heatherchristo.com)