Cuban Pork Polenta and Orzo Puree

I am a fan of always using the ingredients that you have in your fridge. Don’t break the bank whipping up something new when you can get creative with what’s already in your fridge. This week, I made a fun Cuban-style pork roast for the family. We had a ton left over, so I made this fun puree for my 18-month-old daughter.

The roast can take a long time to cook and if you decide to make it, you will not only have dinner for you and the rest of the family, but also the baby. If you don’t want to make this roast, that’s just fine. You can totally opt for chicken or turkey. Really, just use what you have in your fridge – no stress!

When I made my dinner, I added a parmesan polenta along with the meat. Polenta sounds fancy, but it really just corn meal. All you have to do is boil water on the stove, add the corn meal, and you have polenta! Same with the orzo pasta. I saved leftover orzo and made a butter pasta later in the week. Again, I took the leftovers and pureed them up for the baby and she really liked it!

The grown up textures and flavors help develop their palate and saves you time in the kitchen. It’s a win-win!

Cuban Pork Polenta and Orzo Puree

Ingredients

Pork Roast

Serves 6-8 people

• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Polenta

• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup corn meal
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup parmesan

Orzo

• 2 cup water
• 1 cup orzo

Directions

For the Roast

1. In a bowl, mix the paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Rub seasoning mix all over the pork.
3. Transfer the pork to a resealable bag.
4. Add the orange and lime juices.
5. Seal the bag. Turn a few times.
6. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, turning the bag once or twice.
7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
8. In a dutch oven pan, arrange the roast fat side up, cover, and cook for 1 hour.
9. Turn the pork over and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
10. Then increase the oven to 400 and cook with the lid off for 30 minutes, basting it with the juices every 10 mins.
11. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

For the Polenta

1. In a sauté, pan add one cup of water, salt, and the polenta.
2. Mix with a wire whisk.
3. Over a medium heat, let it cook until it begins to thicken.
4. Add 1 cup of water.
5. Do this until the next 2 cups of water are used.
6. Once it is cooked and the water is absorbed, turn off the heat and add the butter and parmesan.

For the Orzo

1. In a sauce pan, add the water and orzo.
2. Boil until the water has evaporated.

For Baby Puree

1. Add the pork, polenta, and orzo to your Baby Bullet and blend.
2. Add 1-2 Tbsp of water to make a smooth consistency.

For your Adult meal:

1. Spoon the polenta onto the plate.
2. Shred up the pork and place on top of the polenta.
3. Spoon a little of the gravy on top.

Enjoy!