TACOS WITH CARNITAS AND AVOCADO BUTTER

Tacos With Carnitas And Avocado Butter image

Provided by Eric Asimov

Time 1h30m

Yield About 10 tacos

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 pounds pork belly
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 ripe avocados
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 ripe red bell pepper or 1 small fresh serrano chili
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
1 bunch cilantro
1 large white onion
Corn tortillas

Steps:

To make carnitas, remove skin along top of pork belly and the layer of fat underneath. Cut meat into small cubes, and salt and pepper it. Allow to stand for about an hour.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place pork on a mesh rack in a roasting pan. Roast until cubes turn lightly crisp, about 1 1/2 hours.
As pork roasts, prepare avocado butter. In a bowl, mash avocados. Add oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mince the bell pepper or serrano chili (for a spicier result), and add to avocado. Add lemon juice. Blend well, cover and refrigerate.
Chop cilantro and place in a small bowl. Chop onion and place in another small bowl.
When the carnitas are ready, remove from oven and set aside. Warm tortillas over low heat on a griddle. Spread each tortilla with avocado butter and add a generous portion of carnitas. Serve, passing the diners the bowls of cilantro and onions.