Tres Cerditos, Black Bean and Rice Casserole

Los Tres Cerditos
this is the story of the Three Little Pigs.  Well, sorta...   What I cooked were Solomillos de Cerdo  corte fino -- thin cut pork sirloins,  a.k.a pork tenderloin "steaks".

At least as tasty, and usually less expensive than ordinary pork chops.  I use these solomillos all the time when I need a nice bit of pork but not a whole pork loin or butt or shoulder.

Oven-Braised Mojo Solomillo de Cerdo

I started by marinating the solomillo de cerdo in classic Mojo sauce for about an hour.  Then I slipped the dish into a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes until just done.  Serve with your choice of sides -- like hominy and roasted red pepper strips.

Solomillo marinating in mojo sauce

Solomillo de Cerdo en Salsa Verde
This solomillo de cerdo is pan braised, or fried then smothered, with Salsa Verde.  To start I dusted the solomillo with "green" Sazon Tropical.  

Then ladled on the salsa verde and reduced the temperature and let the meat simmer until just off pink.

Tacos Solomillo de Cerdo 
This time I sliced the meat into thin strips, seasoned it with Sazon Tropical "yellow", and lightly fried them until just off pink.  I reserved the meat while I pan fried some chopped red onion and sliced mushrooms.  I combined the meat and veg along with a black-bean chipotle salsa that I'm particularly fond of, on small "street taco" sized corn tortillas.

Sazon Tropical x 2

Here are the two Badiatm Sazon Tropical spice blends that I used above.  

They are readily found in most megamart spice sections along with the other Badia brand spices.

Vegetarian Beans & Rice Casserole

Here's a modern vegetarian take on an ancient combination of ingredients. Nothing new here, except the added dairy and the bake. Pretty tasty though, especially if you top each serving with your favorite salsa!

2 cups cooked Brown or White Rice

2 cups cooked Black Beans

2 cups Corn, fresh or frozen

2 tablespoons Milk

1 Lime, juiced

1/3 cup diced Red Bell Pepper

1/3 cup diced Purple Onion

4 ounces Cream Cheese or Greek Yogurt

1 Tbsp Cumin

1 Tbsp Taco seasoning, to taste
Optional but highly recommended:  a jar of your favorite salsa for topping.

Preheat oven to 425ºF degrees.

Spray an 8-x-8-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray, and set aside.

Combine all ingredients except the black beans and corn in a large mixing bowl. Blend thoroughly. 

Then gently fold in the black beans and the corn, taking care not to smash them.

Pour mixture into baking dish, and bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature as a standalone dish, or as a side dish to grilled meat, poultry, or seafood. 

Also makes a great taco filling!

When I make this another time, I am NOT going to bake it -- waste of time and electricity!  Everything is already pre-cooked or doesn't need cooking.  Just fold it all together very well and ladle it onto plates or whatever, add the salsa, and nuke each serving for a minute or so to get it nice and warm.