GRILLED MOJO PORK CHOPS AND AVOCADO SALAD

Grilled Mojo Pork Chops and Avocado Salad image

These bone-in pork chops are extra juicy thanks to a citrusy Cuban mojo marinade. It's typically made with sour oranges, but a combination of oranges and limes gives a similar sweet-and-sour tang. Avocados are the go-to side dish for Cuban meals, and this version of an avocado salad ties the orange and lime from the mojo into the dressing and adds sweet grilled pineapple!

Provided by Gabriela Rodiles

Categories main-dish

Time 2h40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 to 3 oranges)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 to 3 limes)
1/4 medium yellow onion, cut in large chunks
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops (about 3 pounds)
4 spears of pineapple
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 orange, zest removed
Zest and juice of 1 lime
4 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps:

For the mojo and pork chops: Combine the orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, olive oil, oregano, cumin, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a few grinds pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Place the pork chops in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Pour the mojo overtop. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
For the avocado salad: Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, or preheat a griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes. Brush the pineapple spears with the vegetable oil. Grill each side until dark char marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then dice.
Mix the orange zest, lime zest and juice, vinegar, olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and several cracks of freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Using a sharp knife (chef's or paring), slice both ends off the zested orange. Stand the orange on one end and cut away the peel and white pith, following the contour of the fruit. Carefully cut between the membranes to release the orange segments, letting them drop onto the cutting board. Dice the segments and squeeze remaining juice out of the core of the orange into the bowl with the dressing. Add the diced orange segments, diced grilled pineapple, avocado and red onion to a medium bowl. Pour in the dressing and mix to combine. Set aside.
When ready to grill the pork chops, remove them from marinade and pat completely dry with a paper towel. Pour the mojo remaining in the bag into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mojo reduces by half and thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
Brush the pork chops with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and season each side with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Place the chops on the grill or grill pan the pineapple cooked on (preheat it again if necessary) and grill over medium-high heat until the pork releases from the pan, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the chops near but not touching bone registers 140 degrees F, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the chops rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Spoon one quarter of the mojo reduction onto a dinner plate. Top with a pork chop and then spoon avocado salad over the chop. Repeat with remaining pork chops.