In this Mexican cooking class, the appetizers were Tacos de Carnitas con Guacamole, a dish from city of Uruapan, the ‘Garden of Michoacán’. Uruapan is the only city in Mexico to have a national park running through the middle of it, following the flow of the ‘singing river’ in a series of cascades and selvan gardens.

One of many cascades in the Parque Nacional within the city of Uruapan – the hanging plants are underneath the waterfall

Tacos de Carnitas con Guacamole

Tacos de Carnitas de Uruapan, con Guacamole

The base of the carnitas was pork confit (‘confit’: meat cooked in its own fat). Rossana had pre-prepped the pork, and the pork along with its fresh herb bouquet of thyme, bay leaf and marjoram, had been cooking for several hours before we arrived.

Pork Confit

The pork after being cooked in its own fat. The fresh herb bouquet of thyme, bay leaf and marjoram is in the background.

• ‘Pull’ (shred) the pork and fry.

• Add to steamed tortillas with a splash of your favourite hot sauce (mine is Marie Sharp’s).

the shredded pork in steamed tortillas with a splash of salsa

Guacamole to go with the tacos de carnitas – the avocado pit is put back in the ‘mole’ to keep it from going brown

• My Guacamole Recipe
• Serve up with guacamole and a wedge of lime. What a tasty treat! (¡Qué tacos sabrosos!)

Tacos de Carnitas con Guacamole

Chef Rossana, the instructor of my Mexican cooking course, is on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MiMetate