Ensalada Havana Recipe

Make quick pickled onion

Place the thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. Stir together 0.25 cup hot water, 2 tbs white wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 0.25 tsp salt until dissolved. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions, press them down so they are submerged, and let sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature (can chill up to 2 hours). Drain before using. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the pickling liquid to add to the dressing if you want extra tang.

Prepare lime vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar combine 0.25 cup fresh lime juice, 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbs white wine vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.125 tsp red pepper flakes (optional). Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch more salt or 1 tsp pickling liquid for brightness if desired. Keep refrigerated until assembly.

Season pork

Pat the pork dry with paper towels. In a bowl toss 1 lb pork with 0.5 tsp ground cumin, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.75 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.

Cook pork

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned pork in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes for small cubes or 4–6 minutes per side for thin slices. Reduce heat if excessive browning occurs. Toward the end, squeeze 1 tsp fresh lime juice over the pork, toss, and remove from heat. Let rest 3 minutes.

Toss greens: Place 6 cups torn romaine or mixed greens in a large bowl. Add 6 thinly sliced radishes, 0.5 cup chopped cilantro and 0.25 cup toasted pepitas.

Dress the salad: Drizzle about 3–4 tbs (or to taste) of the lime vinaigrette over the greens and toss gently to coat. Reserve extra dressing to serve on the side if desired.

Add pickled onion and cheese: Scatter 3 tbs quick pickled onion (or more to taste) and 4 oz crumbled queso fresco over the dressed salad.

Add pork (optional) and finish: If using pork, arrange the warm pork over the salad and sprinkle any resting juices over the greens. Season the assembled salad with 1 tsp sea salt and 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper evenly (or adjust to taste).

Serve: Garnish with a few extra pepitas and a few whole cilantro leaves. Serve immediately so greens remain crisp. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 5 days; pickled onion keeps 3–5 days refrigerated.