Spicy Green and Red Pork Tostadas

This was a fun recipe to make, and worth the effort even though it was a little complicated.  Don't forget to thaw the Match pork ahead of time - it will need at least 12 hours in the fridge.

Ingredients:
For the pork:

• 1 tablespoon ground red pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 18 ounces Match pork, thawed

For the salsa:

• 3 cups chopped yellow onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 cup green salsa
• 1/2 cup diced red apple
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the remaining ingredients:

• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded vegan Monterey Jack cheese (such as Vegan Gourmet)

1. Combine the ground red pepper, oregano, salt, and black pepper.  Rub the mixture evenly over the pork.  Pat the pork to about 1-inch thickness on a baking sheet; bake at 400 degrees for 17 minutes - the outside should just be crispy.  Let cool until cool enough to handle, then pull apart by hand; set aside.

2. To make the salsa, heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes.  Add the red bell pepper, corn, black beans, crushed red pepper, hot sauce, and green salsa; reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the apple and cilantro, and cook for a final 5 minutes.

3. Heat the corn tortillas according to package directions.  Top each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the pork and 1/2 cup of the salsa, and sprinkle each tostada with 1 tablespoon Monterey Jack.

Note: the nutrition values below account for everything up to here, but don't stop there.  If you like, you can also top the tostadas with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, extra shredded cheese, Tofutti sour cream, or an extra dollop of salsa.  I especially recommend the sour cream to cut the spiciness of the pork rub.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 tostada), Calories 286 

Tasting Notes:

Spicy!  I actually recommend cutting the amount of ground red pepper in the pork rub, since it detracted from the more delicate flavors in the salsa - the apple, corn, and black beans in particular, all of which I wished I could taste more.  This was my first time shredding Match pork, however, and I was delighted with the results - really crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside; definitely something to keep in mind for summer barbecues or pulled pork sandwiches.  I also kept my overall rating lower because I would have enjoyed it better in flour tortillas than corn ones.

Update: I actually preferred these reheated for lunch the next day.  The spices in the rub seemed to have mellowed somewhat over 24 hours, allowing me to savor the full flavor of the salsa, and enjoy the texture of the pork better.

Rating:
3