ok...tonite on the menu...puerto rican beans and rice with plantains...so your thinkin' smoked mojo pork shoulder right?...well tonite is the original recipe i started out with...which is a different recipe that i was introduced too!!...took a little from all...i guess that's called groovin'!!!...

ok...normally...smoked pork shoulder...tonite...bone in pork chops...MOJO!!...that's it!...

in your zip loc...

then into the fridge for a few hours...

for your beans...pinto beans that were soaked over night...again normally i would NOT have a small potato in the beans...however...that is in the original introduction...so...1 small potato...green olives...recaito...tomato sauce...and 1 packet of sazon...

beans are cooked...now add your packet of sazon...3 to 4 heaping spoonfuls of recaito...

...next add your green olives and the whole can of tomato sauce...mix...put back on the stove...on low...adding your potato right before serving...you don't want it to overcook!...

time to get your rice on...fresh garlic...chicken broth...recaito (not in the photo)...olive oil...

now obviously this is EXCESSIVE garlic...you can put as much as you want...saute in your olive oil for about 7 minutes...add your chicken broth...saute another 5 minutes...

next...about 3 tablespoons of recaito...saute about 4 minutes...

add your water...bring it to a boil...

add your rice...lid on...cook about 20 minutes...

this meal...a labor of love!!...on to your plantains...MY original recipe...coat with extra virgin olive oil...garlic powder...kosher salt...and cracked black pepper...

grill for about 2 to 3 minutes...

now...take 2 plates...put your grilled plantain in between them...and give it a gentle press...

place back on the grill on the top grate of your grill surface...away from the flames...



chops on...

gettin' there!...add your potatoes...

time to eat!!

they call this a celebration meal!!...

ok...now...to recap...officially...the first time i had this meal...the pork chops were marinated and baked in the oven...the beans had  potatoes in them...the rice is cooked the same (maybe a little more garlic:)...and the plantains were fried!!...it was super heavy and filling...absolutely incredible...but soooo filling...so...changed it up...grilled the pork chops...grilled the plantains...and eliminated the potatoes in the beans (it just so happens that i had this lone potato i needed to use today!)...different cooking methods...but the key ingredients remained the same...recaito and the mojo...together...always groovin'!!...

there are a few different mojos...all sauteed with onions and garlic...but i use the bitter orange mojo...which works beautifully with pork...the recaito which you find in the beans and rice is a mix of cilantro...green peppers...onions and garlic that were sauteed in olive oil...the mojo...the recaito...the green olives...the potato...the grilled pork...beyond groovin'!!!...

but i have to tell ya...the sweet grilled plantain brings it aallll together!!...this is your bite right here...you MUST have...a little pork...a little beans...and a little rice...WITH a nice bite of the sweet plantain!!!...words can't explain...you hafta try it to understand!...