Recipes by Chef Mario Pagán

Adobo Pork Ribs with Guava BBQ

Ingredients:

Ribs

• St. Louis Pork Ribs or Kurobuta – 4 Racks
• Lemon Juice – 3 each 

Adobo Seasoning

• Garlic Powder – 2 tbsp. 
• Onion Powder – 2 tbsp.
• Oregano – 2 tbsp.
• Kosher Salt – 4 tbsp.  
• Cumin – 1 tsp.
• Coriander – 1 tsp.
• Paprika – 1 tsp.  
• Turmeric – 1 tsp.
• Black Pepper – 1 tsp.

In a dry bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly. 

Guava BBQ

• BBQ Sauce – 10 oz.  
• Guava Paste – 4 oz. 
• Water – 2 oz.  
• Salt – 1 tsp. 

Place all ingredients in low heat until the guava paste dissolves. 

Set aside and cool. 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300° F.
• Remove excess fat from ribs and peel the silver skin off the back of the ribs.
• Cut ribs apart into individual pieces and rub them all over with lemon juice.
• Coat ribs with the adobo. Place meat side down in large baking pan and cover tightly with foil, shiny side out.
• Bake in the oven for 2.5 hours, then remove from oven and pour off liquid.
• Brush the Guava BBQ sauce over all sides of ribs, coating them well. 
• To finish the ribs on the grill, remove from the pan and place ribs on the grill (I use a basket over direct but low heat), basting and turning a few times for about 10 minutes.
• To finish ribs in the oven, set oven to broil and return ribs to the same middle oven rack, uncovered, basting and broiling about 5 minutes per side, watching so they don’t burn because of the sugar from the sauce. 

Coconut Sofrito Shrimp Cake

Ingredients:

Shrimp Cakes

• Rock shrimp (U16/20) peeled & deveined – 16 pieces
• Panko breadcrumbs – 10 oz.
• Sweet coconut flakes – 6 oz.
• Kosher salt – 1 tsp.
• Unsalted butter – 2 tsp.

Béchamel

• Unsalted butter – 4 oz.
• All-purpose flour – 4 oz.
• Whole milk – 12 oz.
• White onion – 1/4 wedge
• Cloves – 4
• Fresh nutmeg – 1/2 tsp.
• Kosher salt – 1 to 1 1/2 tsp.
• White pepper – to taste

Sofrito

• Sofrito – 1 tsp.

Guava Sauce

• Guava paste – 21 oz.
• Soy sauce – 6 oz.
• Water – 32 oz.
• 5 Spice Powder – 1 tsp.

Avocado Crema

• Hass avocado – 1 half
• Crème fraîche – 2 tsp.
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp.
• Kosher salt – to taste

Directions:

• For the cakes, cut the shrimp into medium pieces. Season the shrimp with 1 tsp. of salt. To cook the shrimp, place a sauté pan on high heat, add 1 tsp. of butter and once melted, add the shrimp pieces, tossing them for 1 minute. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside to let them cool down.
• For the béchamel, place a small pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk, incorporating it until a paste is formed. Keep whisking without stoping until the paste turns light golden or until the flour has cooked. Place temperature to medium. Add the milk, the onion wedge, the cloves and nutmeg and incorporate the paste with the milk while whisking it. Once the béchamel sauce has come to a boil, remove from the heat, pass the sauce through a sifter and let it cool.
• For the guava sauce, set a pot to a medium-low temperature. Add the guava paste, water, soy sauce and 5 spice powder and let it dissolve. Whisk it until you have a glaze consistency.
• Sofrito is available for purchase in stores.
• Make sure that the ingredients have cooled off.
• Mix the shrimp with the béchamel sauce and add the remaining salt, the sofrito and the pepper to taste.
• Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form them in a cake-like shape.
• Mix the panko breadcrumbs and the coconut flakes and coat the cakes, pressing the crumbs onto the cakes.
• In a non-stick pan, melt the remaining tsp. of butter and place the shrimp cakes. Sear them on both sides until golden brown. Place them in a 300° F oven for 6 minutes.
• For the avocado crema, mush the avocado into guacamole, adding the cream, salt and lemon.
• Plate a dollop of the avocado crema on the bottom of the plate, then place the shrimp cake on top and pour a bit of sauce on each one.