Chipotle Pork Carnitas with Pico de Gallo, Charred Tomatillo Salsa, Pickled Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Cream

This is one of my favourite things to make for a dinner party. Everything can be prepared in advance and served for everyone to get stuck into. The slow cooked pork with chipotle, orange, cinnamon, and star anise is so full of flavour and just melts in the mouth. All the other elements add plenty of different flavours and textures to make sure that every mouthful is a taste sensation.

(Serves 6 - £3.89 per portion)

1. For the pulled pork, fry 1.5kg diced pork shoulder in a little olive oil in a large casserole dish until well browned (you may have to do this in batches).
2. Add 2 roughly chopped onions, 4 crushed  garlic cloves, the juice and carcasses of two oranges, 50g of chipotle or achiote paste, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 2 tbsps cider vinegar, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (or normal oregano), 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4 cloves.
3. Stir really well so the meat is really well coated in all the spices and then add enough chicken stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer then put a lid on and place in the oven at 130C fan/150C for as long as you can (at least three hours) until the meat is falling apart. The longer the better.
4. Remove the whole spices and orange carcasses, taste, season if necessary and shred the meat using a fork ready to assemble your carnitas.
5. When you are ready to assemble, add a large spoonful of the pork to your tortilla with some of the slaw, Pico de Gallo, avocado cream and extra lime and coriander to finish. Enjoy.

For the tomatillo salsa:

1. Char one roughly chopped onion, 4 whole tomatillos and one roughly chopped green chilli in a large dry frying pan until slightly blackened and charred. 

2. Add to a food processor with a roughly chopped handful of coriander, the juice of a lime, 1 tsp agave/honey and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth but so the salsa still has some texture.

For the cabbage slaw:

1. Finely shred one red cabbage and add to a large bowl with a couple of grated carrots, 30ml lime juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 6 finely chopped pickles, a large handful of finely chopped coriander and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir well and leave to macerate at room temperature for 30 mins.

For the Pico de Gallo:

1. Deseed and finely chop 6 large tomatoes and add the diced flesh to another large bowl with a finely chopped red onion, 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeños, 1 tsp cumin, the juice and zest of a lime, 1 crushed garlic clove, a handful of chopped coriander and some salt to taste. Mix well and set aside. 

For the avocado cream:

1. Put two ripe avocados in a food processor with the juice of a lime, 2 tbsps sour cream and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth. Taste and add more salt/lime if necessary.