Costa Rican Pork Skewers

These kebabs cook up so tender - marinating in a coffee mixture tenderizes the already "tender" pork tenderloin meat. I used Costa Rican coffee, hence the name. However, I also used spices that are frequently used in Caribbean cooking, namely jalapeno, adobo and rum.  

Ingredients: 

1 pork tenderloin, cut against the grain into 1/2 inch strips

1 tsp olive oil

1 spring onion or shallot, diced

1 tsp minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs minced jalapeno or pickled jalapeno

1 tsp adobo seasoning

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups black coffee

1/2 cup sauvignon blanc or chicken stock

1 Tbs molasses

1 Tbs rum

Directions: 

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minutes, until you can smell the aroma of the ginger and garlic. Add the jalapeno, the adobo seasoning, the brown sugar, salt, and the white wine or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer until the marinade is reduced by half, to about 1 cup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 

Place the pork pieces and the cooled marinade into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. 

Drain the pork pieces from the marinade, catching the marinade in a small saucepan. Add the molasses and rum. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes. 

Thread the pork pieces onto four skewers. Don't worry if some of the onion or ginger pieces adhere to the meat. Grill, about 4 minutes per side, brushing several times with the marinade. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I served these with a salad and twice fried plantains, also called patacones or tostones. Together these made for a fun and more authentic Costa Rican meal.