The Boy is one of the few boyfriends around that did not get in trouble when he bought me a slow cooker for Christmas around one of our early holidays together. He certainly had warnings from others, but (thank goodness for his sake) he knew me well enough by then that I love any and all forms of food and cooking. This includes the marvelously easy and delicious form known as slow cooking. Since then, I have received a beautiful dutch oven which is another useful tool that I MIGHT whisper sweet nothings to when no one is around.

Who can’t love any dish that you prep for 20 minutes and then not have to think about while you’re away at work. If anything, my only concern is the torture I’m putting my dog through as he sits at home with the delicious smell of flavors slowly melding together just a few inches above his nose’s reach.

Springtime isn’t usually the time that slow cooking comes to mind. You think of sweet, fresh, crispy Spring fruits and veggies. A standard slow cooked meal like a heavy meat with a deep rich brown stock and mushy vegetables is most certainly not sweet, fresh or crispy.   Alas, sometimes I still need the ease of my dutch oven, even when it’s a warm lovely Spring day.

So, I’ve started to devise a perfect NOLA Spring slow cooker plan. It couldn’t be a traditional and heavy kind of cold-weather meal. Instead, I wanted something with vibrant flavors, that carried that tender slow cooked texture.

And so, I pulled together a few different ideas and came up with this. Slow Cooked Caribbean Pork and Pineapples.

Recipe:

1) One 2lb Pork Loin (I used an end)
2) One lb Fresh Pineapple (cubed)
3) Six Green Onions (cut into quarter inch pieces)
4) Two Garlic Cloves (minced)
5) Juice from One Small Lime
6) One tbsp Hoisin Sauce
7) One tbsp Soy Sauce
8)  Two tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
9) One tsp Crushed Cumin
10) One Red Bell Pepper
11) One Green Bell Pepper
12) Four Cups Cooked White Rice

Preparation:

Cut pork loin into 1 inch cubes. Add a small amount of olive oil to the bottom of your dutch oven (or a large skillet) and brown all sides of the cubed pork. While still hot, add cubed pineapple and allow the edges to soften. If using a skillet to brown, transfer to dutch oven or slow cooker.

Add ingredients 3-9 in a bowl and mix well until it is a thick sauce. Pour over pork in dutch oven or slow cooker.

Cover and cook on medium heat (high if you’re using a slow cooker) for 1 hour. Switch to low heat and allow to cook for 2-3 hours. When ready, julienne the Bell Peppers, add to the mix, and allow to cook on low for another 1-2  hours. Avoid the temptation to begin eating straight out of the hot pot.

When ready to eat, plate the pork and saucy goodness over white rice and enjoy it with a glass of your favorite dry riesling. Now you can enjoy!