Pork Pibil

These recipes are adapted from Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy to make cochinita (pork) pibil.

1. Make the achiote marinade. Fry the onions, garlic. Chop one onion. On a medium high heat fry the onions adding the garlic after 5 minutes, keep frying gently for another 5 minutes. Add the pepper, cumin coriander and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the oregano, salt, sugar and cinnamon.  Turn off the heat and add the achiote paste, tomato puree the citric fruit juices and zest of lemon. Cool.
2. Marinate the pork. Cut the pork into large chunks (about 5 cm). Add to the cooled achiote marinade and marinate overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas
4. Assemble the pibil. Next day chop the onion and fry in 2 tablespoons of lard for 10 minutes. Slice the peppers and and add to the onions stir to combine and remove from the heat. Oil two banana leaves and place shiny-side up in a roasting tin or a large dutch oven type pan. Place the pork and marinade in the centre of the banana leaves. Arrange the onion and peppers on top and the sliced tomatoes. Put two banana leaves oiled shiny-side down on top and fold over the meat and tuck-in folding the remaining leaves over the top. Add more leaves onto to seal the meat.
5. Cook the pibil. Cover the tin tightly with thick foil or put the lid on the pan and bake at for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
6. Make pickled red onions. Slice the onions thinly to make onion rings. Heat a dry frying pan and toast the cumin and peppercorns for a minute without burning. Put the spices in a pan with remaining ingredients, apart from the onions. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the onions and bring back to the boil and turn off the heat. Pour the contents of the pan into a glass bowl and let the onions macerate for 4 hours or overnight before using. (They will keep for weeks in the fridge.)

Serve the pibil in tortillas with the pickled onions.