Pork and Oranges (More Information)

This is a relatively easy to meal to make that does not require anything too complex in the preparation process. As usual on Cooking with Limits, this food allergy free dinner is incredibly flexible provided the same ingredient types are used.

For starters, two of the ingredients in the recipe act as a sponge for all other flavors: the rice and the potatoes. But we want these to absorb different flavors to make things more interesting. As a result, this recipe contains two stages of cooking - one is the rice stage and the other the potato stage. During the first stage, the rice absorbs the flavors of the tomatoes and the broth bringing them together.

In the second phase of cooking the potato absorbs the flavors of the oranges, the pork and the broth. This. by the way. is the reason the two cups of broth are used in different times during the cooking process; by having both the rice and potato absorb the flavors of the broth there is a certain unity to these two sponges.

The key flavor in this recipe is not the broth, though that certainly helps. The key flavor instead comes from mixing the tomato (with its richness) with the orange. In this recipe, I prefer using a navel orange since it adds a slight bitter taste to the recipe that interacts nicely with the tomato. A Valencia orange is almost too sweet against the tomato. No matter what orange you use (experiment with the different types to see what works for your tastes), it is the mixture of tomatoes and oranges that highlight this dish.