Oh! I loved this. Jocon

I am having a hard time finding recipes from Brazil.  There aren't any in the library, couldn't find one at the book store, not enough time to order one online.  I can find a few recipes online, but they are all very similar.  Variations of pork with black beans, the cheese balls that the yucca flour is impossible to find, and sauteed greens.  I got a couple of recipes from my friend Dri.  The chicken and barley soup didn't seem distinctly different except for the addition of a serrano pepper.  I will try her other chicken recipe this week.  I think there must be some kind of agreement between the Brazilians to keep their recipes top secret.  So I decided to branch out in Latin America tonight.  I needed a little break from the black beans anyway.  (Sam did note that he likes the fact that the leftovers from Brazil taste even better the second day)

So tonight's recipe is from Guatemala.  It can be made with either chicken or pork shoulder.

Jocon:  (from whats4eats.com)   Cube about a pound of pork shoulder.  Put a little oil in a pan. Add the pork.  Brown quickly.  Add 4 cups of water and 2 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 1-11/2 hours, until pork is tender.  Drain pork, reserving cooking liquid.  Toast 1/2 cup sesame seeds in a hot dry skillet.  (You can use half sesame seeds and half pumpkin seeds, which was the plan, but I couldn't find my pumpkin seeds).  Put in spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder.  Put in food processor along with 2 corn tortillas that have been chopped and soaked in water, then drained; 1 cup chopped tomatillos, 1 bunch chopped cilantro, 1 bunch chopped scallions, 2 (or more depending on preference) serrano peppers, chopped.  Add one cup of the reserved cooking liquid and puree.  Return the pork to the pan.  Pour the sauce over the top.  Add 1-1 1/2 cups of remaining cooking liquid to give it a sauce like consistency.  ( I only had about 1/2 cup of liquid left).  Heat over med low and simmer for another 30 minutes.

I served this over rice with chopped tomatoes and a sprinkle of queso fresco.