Menudo Pot Pie

Here is my family's recipe for Menudo, I decided to give this dish a little twist by serving it like a pot pie. Since menudo has potatoes and tender pieces of pork, it worked very well serving it pot pie style.

Menudo Pot Pie

Ingredients
2 cups         Pork ( I used pork shoulder)
1                 Russet Potato cut into cubes
1                 Red bell pepper diced
1                 Onion diced
1/4 cup        Green Peas
2                 Garlic cloves minced
2                 Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp         Anatto powder
1/4 cup        Cane Vinegar
1 tsp            Salt
                   Pepper to taste

Steps

1. Add Pork to a medium size pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 10 mins. You'll see that the fat and blood have risen to the top. You can choose to skim this off, but I find it easier and give the dish a cleaner taste when you drain the liquid and rinse the pork. 
2. In the same saucepan cover the pork with new water. Add the cane vinegar, bay leaves, 1 tsp sat and a pinch of pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for about 30-45 mins or until the meat is fork tender.
3. While the pork is simmering, in a new saucepan add diced potatoes. Cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for about 10 mins until potatoes are tender. Set aside
4. Once pork is tender, make sure to save 1 cup of the cooking liquid. In a wide pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and saute until it starts to brown.
5. Add onions and saute until soften.
6. Add anatto powder an saute until color changes.
7. Add pork pieces, deglaze pan with cooking liquid from the pork. I like to add this a bit at a time, as this allows for flavors to really develop.
8. Add the red bell peppers, and saute. Adding a bit more liquid so that the pan does not dry out.
9. Add the peas and potatoes. Again add liquid if needed. 

At this point the menudo is done and can be served over a bed of rice. But if you would like to continue this pot pie style, here are the other ingredients.

1 package        Puff Pastry
1                     Egg
2 tsp                Cornstarch
1 cup               Chicken broth
Flour for dusting

 Steps

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
1. Thaw puff pastry ahead of time, roll out and cut to fit ramekins.
2. Mix chicken broth with the cornstarch. Add to Menudo, this will make the menudo a bit more saucier. 
3. Add Menudo to ramekins, add puff pastry and egg wash on top.
4. Bake for 20 mins until puff pastry is golden brown. 

I hope you try this recipe and let me know what you think of the having this pot pie style.