Frugal Family Feast: Pork Strips With Roasted Cauliflower and Chimichurri Sauce

Pork loin is jazzed up with an international flavor fest of spicy roasted cauliflower and chimichurri sauce in this week’s Frugal Family Feast — a recipe that can feed a family of four a delicious meal for less than $15.

Chef Marcela Guzman Galan, instructor at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, shared her technique with Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson. Watch the video and read on for the recipe.

Chimichurri sauce goes well with many different meats and is a perfect player in this pork and roasted cauliflower meal.

Let’s break this dish into three parts:

Pork strips. You cook the pork with onions until the onions caramelize, then add wine and soy sauce and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.

Roasted cauliflower. Chef Marcela ground spices into a fine powder in a coffee grinder. You can also use a food processor. Mix the spices with extra virgin olive oil, toss with the cauliflower and then bake.

Chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri sauce originated in Argentina. It’s delicious and easy to make. Mince parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano and garlic, then mix with lemon juice, white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Now you’re ready to plate and serve.

Pork strips with roasted cauliflower and chimichurri sauce – courtesy of the International Culinary School

Pork ingredients:

1 pound pork loin, cut in thin strips
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

To prepare pork:

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Saute over high heat for five minutes.
Add onion. Turn heat down to medium and cook until it is caramelized.
Add wine and soy sauce. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and set aside.

Cauliflower ingredients:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 teaspoons for oiling the baking dish
1 teaspoon whole cardamom seeds
3 dried red chilies
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cauliflower head, 2½ to 3 pounds, cored and cut into florets
1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
juice from one lemon

To prepare cauliflower:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and set side.
Grind the cardamom, chilies, coriander, cumin and peppercorns in a coffee grinder or small food processor until fine.
Mix spices with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
Add the cauliflower and red onion and toss to coat.
Transfer the vegetables to the baking dish and roast until they are tender, stirring every 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with kosher salt and lemon juice to serve.

Chimichurri ingredients: