Pork and Cheese Arepas with Tangy Cabbage Slaw

I have loved arepas since I was a kid growing up in Miami.  Surprisingly, no one else in my family had tried them.  I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Food and Wine.  (It looks like it isn't on line yet.)  The thing I love about this recipe the best, it is so versatile.  Not only is it able to be adjusted to use any leftovers you have in the house, but they can be made ahead of time so they need only be fried when time to eat.  The cabbage slaw is really nice and gives you some veggies with the meal.  One thing to note is that the picked jalapenos are really necessary.  They give some acid and heat to the arepa that seems to magically to mute all flavors. We haven't been fans of the pickled jalapenos in the past but we think they really help make the dish. While we would like to tweak this particular recipe a bit, it is still a keeper!

Pork And Cheese Arepas
4 Servings

2 c  Masa Harina,(maseca Brand If Possible)
1 3/4 c  Water,Hot (plus 2 Tablespoons)
2 c  Red Cabbage
1/4    Small Red Onion,Thinly Sliced
2 T  Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 lb Roast Pork,Shredded
4 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
Hot Sauce
Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
Sour Cream
Cilantro
1. In a bowl, mix the masa harina, water and 1 teaspoon of salt to
form a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another bowl,  toss the cabbage, onion and vinegar.
Season with salt
3. In a small bowl, combine pork and cheddar and season with salt and
hot sauce. Form the pork filling into 4 compact balls.
4. Form the dough into 4 balls and covert with plastic wrap.  Working
with the balls one at a time, flatten it on a sheet of plastic wrap
into a 7 in round.  Place pork filling ball in  the center of the dough.
Bring the dough up to cover the filling. Gently flatten the ball into
a 4inch patty and patch any holes or tears.  Repeat with the remaining
dough and filling. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the arepas and fry over high heat, turning once, until golden, crisp and heated through, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to to plates.  With a slotted spoon, mound the cabbage slaw on top and
serve with the jalapenos, hot sauce and sour cream.
Make Ahead:The uncooked arepas can be stacked between sheets of plastic wrap and
refrigerated overnight.  Bring the arepas to room temperature before
frying
Wine:
Spicy, cherry rich blend: 2009 Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red