Tostones with Baked Carnitas and Avocado

• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 green plantains, peeled (see Notes)
• About 3 cups canola or peanut oil, for frying
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup basic salsa (recipe follows)
• One 28 ounce can plum tomatoes, with their juice
• 4 yellow chiles or 2 jalapenos, stemmed
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, tough stem ends removed
• Grated zest of 1 lime
• Kosher salt

1. Combine the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rub the seasoning on the pork, put the pork in a baking dish, and cover with plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F.
5. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
6. Bake the pork for 45 to 55 minutes, until the meat is tender when pierced with a knife.
7. Uncover and set aside to cool at least slight
8. Increase the oven temperature to 425F.
9. While the pork is cooking, cut each peeled plantain half into 4 pieces on the diagonal.
10. Blot dry with paper towels.
11. In a large saute pan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium heat until small bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pan.
12. (If you have a frying thermometer and want to use it, the temperature you are looking for is 325F.)
13. Working in batches, transfer the plantain pieces to the hot oil, placing one of the cut sides down, and cook until lightly golden and almost tender, about 3 minutes per side.
14. Remove the plantain slices from the oil to a paper-towel-lined plate.
15. Place the plantain slices between 2 clean paper bags or pieces of parchment paper and smash with a mallet, rolling pin, or the bottom of a small saute pan.
16. The plantains should be pounded to about 1/4-inch thick.
17. If a plantain slice crumbles and wont flatten to 1/4-inch, the batch needs further cooking before smashing.
18. Cut the pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
19. Drain any fat from the baking dish, return the pork to the dish, and return to the oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
20. Meanwhile, after smashing the plantains, raise the heat under the pan to medium-high (the oil should be around 350F) and transfer the flattened slices back to the pan in batches.
21. Cook them this time until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
22. Transfer to paper towels to drain and then sprinkle with salt.
23. Arrange the tostones on a serving platter.
24. Top each with a slice of avocado, slices of pork carnitas, and some salsa.
25. Serve warm.
26. Salsa is not just for tortilla chips and tacos.
27. With no fat and lots of flavor, this salsa is one of the easiest ways I know to turn a simple grilled piece of chicken or fish and even scrambled eggs into something more vibrant.
28. Combine the tomatoes, the chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime zest, and salt to taste in the work bowl of a food processor or in a blender and pulse until the mixture is well combined but still chunky.
29. Store the salsa, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
30. Bring to room temperature before serving.

pork shoulder, ground cumin, oregano, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, green plantains, peanut oil, avocado, basic salsa, tomatoes, yellow chiles, yellow onion, garlic, fresh cilantro, lime, kosher salt

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/tostones-with-baked-carnitas-and-avocado (may not work)