Several months ago, I had the opportunity to attend a cooking class at Well Seasoned in Langley BC on how to cook perfect pork, featuring Johnston’s Local Quality BC Pork. Along with other local bloggers and foodies in media, I sipped Narrative wine while watching Angie Quaale from Well Seasoned prepare delicious pork dishes for us all to sample.
One of the recipes we tried was this Pork Picadillo, made from ground pork, tomatoes, olives, and raisins (yes, raisins!).
This was a new combination to me, but I loved it! I think it makes a great weekday meal, because it’s quick and versatile. You can serve it over rice, or wrapped up in a tortilla or lettuce. I’ve even used the leftovers in a taco soup, and it was amazing.
The kids ate it in flour tortillas, and added cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. It was a big hit! Thumbs up all around! I’m kind of surprised, because they don’t normally care for olives, but there aren’t very many olives in this and they just blend with the other flavours so well that you don’t really notice them.
I had mine in a lettuce wrap, making it a perfect healthy dinner for those of us who are trying to cut back on the carbs.
Recipe by Angie Quaale from Well Seasoned
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Johnston’s BC Pork
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion,chopped
- ¼ cup sliced green olives
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes (or you can use canned tomatoes)
- chopped 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- dash ground cloves
- dash ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Brown pork in oil. Drain some oil from the cooked pork if necessary.
- Combine with other ingredients and simmer 15 minutes.
- Serve with tortillas or lettuce for wrapping.
- Suggested garnishes: grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole
Isn’t that an easy recipe? And so good! I’ve been cooking with pork a lot more since that helpful cooking class. In the past, I found myself turning to chicken or beef when I cook with meat, but this class helped me discover some tasty new ways to incorporate pork into our meals.
My kids like to whine, especially when it comes to the food they eat, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to make tasty and healthy meals for them. Follow along as I share family-friendly recipes and reviews from my picky family members, who I lovingly call “The Whine Critics.” 
