TasteFood

Now that it's summer, it's time to dig into spicy, meaty, two-fisted pork carnitas. Carnitas are perfect party food. They are easy to assemble and messy to eat, best washed down with a cold beer while eaten outdoors. What could be more fun?

The key to carnitas is to let the meat cook low and slow until it's fork-tender. In this recipe, the pork braises in a smoky, citrus-infused beer broth that imbues the meat with flavor and spice. The cooking process takes several hours, but it's relatively hands-off, simply requiring the occasional turn. The biggest challenge will be the wafting aroma of the simmering pork, which will surely test your patience. Hang in there. You can do it.

The final step is optional but highly recommended. Once the meat is shredded, arrange it in a baking dish or grill pan, toss with some of the basting juices and grill or broil at high heat until the meat begins to caramelize. Pile the meat on tortillas with salsa, guacamole or your favorite fixings, and you are good to go. (Just remember the napkins.) If you have any leftovers, use the meat in sandwiches or loaded on homemade nachos the next day.

The pork can be grilled, which will keep the heat outdoors on a warm day, or it can be cooked in an oven. If using a grill, brown the meat on the grates before transferring to a deep grill pan or grill-proof Dutch oven with the braising liquid.

Chipotle Beer-Braised Pork Carnitas

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: about 5 hours

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (4-pound) boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, smashed but intact

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 cup Mexican beer

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Accompaniments:

Warm flour or corn tortillas

Guacamole

Salsa

Fresh cilantro

Sliced green onions

Heat the oven to 300 degrees (or prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat, 275 to 300 degrees).

Mix the cumin, paprika, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spices all over the meat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Or refrigerate for up to 24 hours, and remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.)

If using the oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the pork and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork and pour off the fat. (If using the grill, brown the pork over direct medium heat on the grill grates, and pre-heat a grill-proof Dutch oven over indirect heat while the pork is browning.)

Add the garlic, onion, beer, orange juice, chipotles, lime juice and brown sugar to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits if on the stovetop.

Add the pork to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the oven (or transfer to indirect low heat on the grill). Braise the pork until fork tender, about 4 hours, turning every hour or so.

Remove the pork from the braising liquid and transfer to a cutting board to cool while you reduce the sauce. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Place the meat in a baking dish or grill pan.

Boil the braising liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a sauce consistency, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain the sauce, and drizzle some of it over the shredded pork (the pork should be lightly coated but not wet).

Grill or broil the pork at high heat until the meat begins to caramelize, 2 to 4 minutes.

To serve, spoon some of the pork in the center of a tortilla. Top with guacamole, salsa, fresh cilantro and sliced green onions. Roll up and eat.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

This salad does not hold back on herbs and spice. Handfuls of your favorite garden herbs, and a shake of the contents of your spice drawer, build welcome layers of flavor and freshness into this bright and festive couscous platter. Israeli couscous (also known as pearl couscous) is made of wheat flour and semolina, which is rolled into tiny "pearl" balls and then toasted. The dried couscous, once purchased, is simmered in a liquid to soften. I like to toast the dried couscous in the pan with a little olive oil first, before adding the liquid to simmer, which essentially means the couscous is doubly toasted. This extra step adds a satisfying nutty flavor and golden color to the sturdy little semolina balls.

While you can call this salad a hearty side dish, it also makes a delicious vegetarian main course. If desired, add crumbled feta or goat cheese to the salad for extra protein. When choosing the carrots, make sure they are of uniform size to ensure similar cooking time. If necessary, cut thicker carrots in half lengthwise.

Roasted Carrot and Israeli Couscous Salad With Lemon Gremolata

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous

2 1/4 cups water

Salt

1 small red chili pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 pounds thin rainbow carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise if thick

Freshly ground black pepper

Gremolata:

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped dill

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 cups baby arugula

2 to 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Add the couscous and toast over medium heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the couscous to a bowl and stir in the chili pepper, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Let stand at room temperature while you roast the carrots.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the carrots in a large bowl, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and lightly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool slightly or to room temperature.

Make the gremolata: Mix the parsley, cilantro, dill, garlic, lemon zest, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.

Scatter the arugula on a serving platter or in a wide, shallow serving bowl. Spoon the couscous over and around the arugula and arrange the carrots on top. Squeeze a lemon over the salad and sprinkle evenly with the gremolata and pine nuts. Garnish the platter with the lemon wedges and serve.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Pots de creme are a perfect do-ahead dessert. They are best made at least one day in advance, so the custard has time to cool, set and develop in flavor. These pots de creme are redolent with lemon, and they are a breeze to make. You can make them with either the common Eureka lemons or Meyer lemons. Generally, I prefer the pucker of Eureka lemons, and in the case of this creamy dessert, the lemony tartness cuts through the rich, creamy custard as a welcome contrast. If you're feeling extra fancy, whip the leftover egg whites into a billowy meringue to top the custards.

A simple citrus sugar is an easy garnish to this dessert and makes use of all of the leftover squeezed lemons. A combination of the finely grated lemon zest and sugar, left to dry at room temperature, adds an extra burst of citrusy flavor and a pleasant crunch to the creamy custards.

Begin the pots de creme one day in advance so they may chill overnight.

Lemon Pots de Creme With Citrus Sugar

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Makes 6

Citrus Sugar:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Pots de creme:

Juice of 3 lemons, about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons

7 large egg yolks

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

Blueberries for garnish

Make the sugar:

Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix well. Spread on a parchment-lined plate or tray and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour to dry out. Store in a glass jar until use.

Make the pots de creme:

Simmer the lemon juice and sugar and in a small saucepan until syrupy and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the zest and let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place six (6-ounce) ramekins in a deep baking dish. Bring a kettle of water to a boil and keep warm.

Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.

Combine the cream, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat until nearly boiling and then remove from the heat. Slowly add to the eggs in a steady stream, whisking constantly to blend. Whisk in the lemon syrup and then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.

Ladle the custard into the ramekins. Pour the hot water into the pan, halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Loosely cover the pan with foil and bake until the custard centers are set but still wobbly, about 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the lemon sugar evenly over the pots de creme. Garnish with fresh blueberries and serve chilled.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS