OUR MEXICAN HOLIDAY DINNER

Posted in Pork by sallybr

As I mentioned in a previous post, we had an early Christmas celebration with one of my stepsons. This year all our holiday meals were decided on a whim, serendipity playing a pretty big role. I happened to catch Marcela’s episode “My Favorite Holiday Dishes“, and while watching it with Phil he suggested we make that full menu for our Christmas dinner. Avocado-Cilantro Mousse, Pork Tenderloin, and Mexican Chocolate Souffle. You know how we felt about the mousse, so now it’s time to share the recipe for the second course, a pork that ended up moist and tender, surrounded by the sweetness of prunes and pearl onions.

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PINEAPPLE GLAZE
(from Marcela Valladolid)

for the brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 cups warm water
6 cups cold water
2 pork tenderloins
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for the herb rub:
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
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for the final roasting:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dried prunes, halved
1 pound pearl onions, peeled
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup pineapple juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the brine: Combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and 2 cups warm water in a large bowl. Stir until the salt dissolves. Add 6 cups cold water. Add the pork, cover, and refrigerate overnight (the pork should be submerged in the liquid).
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Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.For the herb rub: Mix the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary in a small bowl. Remove the pork from the brine and pat it dry (discard the brine). Spread the herb mixture over the pork loin, making sure you coat all sides of the loin.
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For the pork: Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy saute pan over high heat. Add the pork and sear until browned, 4 minutes. Carefully turn the pork over and sear until browned, another 4 minutes. Meanwhile, add the prunes and pearl onions to a baking dish, creating a bed for the loin. Transfer the seared pork loin to the baking dish (making sure the loin fits in the baking dish, leaving a 1-inch border on every side). Add the wine to the same saute pan used to sear the pork and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits, until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the pineapple juice and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pork. Season the prunes and onions with salt and pepper.
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Place the pork in the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees F, or to your desired level of roasting. Baste with the pan juices every 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it stand for 10 minutes. Slice the pork into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange on a platter. Top the pork slices with the pearl onions, prunes, and sauce.
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ENJOY!
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to print the recipe, click here
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Comments: I loved making this dish, it is perfect for a day spent at home, relaxing, enjoying the aromas and the anticipation of a more elaborate meal to come. Brining the meat is the way to go when roasting pork loin (or tenderloin), as the delicate meat, so low in fat these days, can dry out in the oven. I left the tenderloins in the brine from 8am until around 5pm.

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Pork and prunes are a classic combination for good reason! This recipe is not too different from a typical meal served in my family in Brazil during the holidays, except that they like to roast a pork shoulder or butt. We call it “pernil assado“, and prunes or pineapple slices are often part of the sauce.

Leftovers were awesome on day 2 and amazing on day 4, the sauce intensified in flavor, the meat retained its moisture and tenderness. I can tell this recipe will become a regular appearance at our table. Next time I’ll add some fennel to the bed of prunes and onions, I think its flavor would be great here.

ONE YEAR AGO: The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce

TWO YEARS AGO: Edamame Dip

THREE YEARS AGO: Gougeres

FOUR YEARS AGO: Beef Wellington on a Special Night

14Dec2013

A SIMPLE TACO TO REMEMBER

Posted in Pizzas & Small Dishes, Pork by sallybr

December 14th will be forever tainted as one of the saddest days for the United States. Unspeakable tragedy, unbearable pain for all those involved in the shooting at Newtown. One full year has passed. Very little improvement in gun laws has been made. This is not a politically oriented blog, so I’ll leave it at that. But, it is up to each of us to never forget what happened and put pressure on Congress to act.

I would like to recommend a fantastic article from the Nicholas Kristof, “The Killer Who Supports Gun Control“. Thank you, Farine, for bringing it to my attention.

One of the boys whose life was cut short was so fond of tacos that he hoped to one day work in a “taco factory”. To celebrate his memory, I am sharing a recipe for a simple, but tasty taco today. This one is for you, Noah.

HOUSTON-STYLE CARNITAS
(adapted from Homesick Texan)

3 pounds of pork butt, with plenty of fat
1 cup of orange juice
juice of 1 lime
3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt

Cut pork into strips (three inches by one inch), add to a large pot with the liquids and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered on low for 2 hours. Do not touch the meat.

After two hours, turn heat up to medium high, and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat has rendered (about 45 minutes). Stir a few times, to keep pork from sticking to bottom of pan.

When pork has browned on both sides, it’s ready (there will be liquid fat in the pan). Serve either cubed or shredded (pork will be tender enough that just touching it will cause it to fall apart).

Serve it over rice or use it as a filling for tacos with your favorite toppings.
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Share it with someone you love…
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If you want to learn more about the lives of the children and adults who lost their life in December 14th, 2012, visit “My Sandy Hook Family”.
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The grown-up world has failed you horribly and still does.
(from Farine, in her letter to Noah, June 2013)

(comments are shutdown for this post)

19May2013

GREEN CURRY PORK TENDERLOIN

Posted in Pork by sallybr

A note to subscribers: Google Reader will shutdown on July 1st, 2013. If you have a subscription to this blog through Google Reader, please sign up for email notifications, or switch to another reader. I recommend Feedly or Bloglovin. They will automatically retrieve all your Google reader subscriptions.

If you are like me, when you think about curry you’ll imagine pieces of meat or veggies swimming in a spicy sauce. This is not it. The pork tenderloin is marinated in a flavorful orange-soy mixture, then grilled. The curry sauce is spooned over it, and to add another layer of flavor and texture pumpkin seeds are sprinkled on top. This was one of those dinners that surpassed my expectations. We could celebrate a Wednesday with it, but instead it opened our week to a good start: we enjoyed it for dinner after a very busy Monday.

GREEN CURRY PORK TENDERLOIN
(slightly modified from Bon Appetit, May 2013)

for pork marinade:
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 pork tenderloin, butterflied

for pumpkin seeds:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt

for curry sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small shallot, chopped
2 heaping tablespoons green Thai curry paste
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (I used light)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Combine soy sauce, orange juice, maple syrup, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork and seal bag. Chill, turning occasionally, at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and toast, shaking pan often, until seeds are brown, about 4 minutes. Add cumin seeds, then gradually add sugar, then lime juice, tossing constantly to coat seeds with melted sugar and juice. Transfer pumpkin seed mixture to a foil-lined baking sheet; spread out and let cool. Season with salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add curry paste and lime zest and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk and bring just to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced by half, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Transfer coconut milk mixture to a blender. Add cilantro, lime juice, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth. With motor running, drizzle in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and blend until creamy. Season curry sauce with salt and pepper, return to pan, and cover to keep warm.

Remove pork from marinade; pat dry. Grill pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140°. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice pork and serve with curry sauce and cumin-spiced pumpkin seeds.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: At first this recipe seems doable on a weeknight. But I will be honest with you: when we come home from work I want dinner preparation to be as simple and painless as possible. The idea of making a sauce that involves grabbing (and later washing) the blender, toasting the pumpkin seeds, assembling everything AND thinking about a side dish to go with it leaves me searching for another recipe right away… 😉 So, I made all the components on a Sunday afternoon, no hurries, not pressure. The pumpkin seeds went into the pantry, the sauce in the fridge. The pork went to sleep in the marinade. Next day I cooked some white rice, sliced juicy heirloom tomatoes, sprinkled them with Maldon salt and balsamic vinegar, a tiny little drizzle of olive oil. Grilled the pork, warmed the sauce, and felt like a Kitchen Goddess.

Side note: these pumpkin seeds are excellent to snack on, the recipe makes more than you’ll need and that is a good thing! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Farfalle with Zucchini and Ricotta

TWO YEARS AGO: Slow-baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

THREE YEARS AGO: Hoisin Explosion Chicken

11Jan2013

CIDER-MARINATED PORK KEBABS

Posted in Pork by sallybr

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I’ve been on an apple cider kick, as this region of the US brags the right to make top quality cider. One sip of this brand was all it took me to become addicted. Phil and I always buy a huge bottle and before it gets half-empty, we get another one, just to be on the safe side. We keep wondering for how long cider will be available at our grocery stores, and hope the feast won’t end anytime soon. So far, so good. I used some of this wonderful apple cider in a marinade for pork tenderloin. Coupled with a few spices that seemed right to play with the cider, voila’: a very simple and tasty main dish was served!

CIDER-MARINATED PORK KEBABS
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 pork tenderloin filets
1/2 cup apple cider
1/8 cup olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbs agave nectar
1 tsp fennel pollen
1/2 tsp pimente d’Espelette
salt to taste

Remove the silver skin of the pork tenderloin, and cut the meat in large cubes. Make a marinade by whisking all ingredients (except salt) until fully combined. Place the pieces of pork in a large bowl and add the marinade, coating all pieces well with it. Leave it in the fridge, covered, for a few hours or overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade, thread it into skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for a few hours). Season with salt, and grill to your liking, turning the skewers once during grilling.

Serve with slices of lemon to squeeze over the meat.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

At first, my idea was to include a fennel bulb and a red bell pepper that were laying in the fridge to make a more colorful kebab with the pork. But, the day was long, and the patience was short. I kept it ultra simple and the meat went to the grill all by itself. Still, this was a great weeknight dinner! The meat was juicy and the addition of agave nectar gave that extra dark grill mark that I find a must… We had the pork with a little orzo and green beans, simple and delicious. Leftovers were still quite juicy next day, even when subjected to microwave torture.

Of course, I think fresh slices of fennel would be perfect in these kebabs, echoing the fennel pollen in the marinade, so if your day is shorter and the patience longer, go for it! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Golden Age Granola

TWO YEARS AGO: Mushroom Souffle for Two

THREE YEARS AGO: Stollen

1Jan2013

A TACO FOR NOAH

Posted in Pork by sallybr

With the tragedy in Newtown, 2012 could not have ended on a sadder note. That Friday I returned home early to wait for friends who were driving from Oklahoma to visit, and when I turned on the TV I couldn’t believe my eyes. But nothing prepared me for the email I received shortly thereafter from my friend Farine, saying that her grandson Noah was among the young victims. I was folded in two, as if someone had punched me in the stomach. I know the same feeling hit thousands and thousands of people around the world, but it’s nothing compared to the pain of the families who lost their loved ones. It was such a senseless and cruel action.

Farine mentioned that in his young life Noah struggled with an important decision: whether to become an astronaut or a taco store manager. He loved tacos so much. I’d have probably advised him to first become an astronaut, and then set up his taco shop on a beautiful, peaceful planet around some distant star… 😉 Today I share a recipe that I’m sure would please Noah. It’s found in “Just Tacos“, a book by Shelley Wiseman, who works in Newtown and was devastated by the catastrophe. Shelley not only gave me permission to print her recipe, she also asked me to dedicate it to Noah and his family.

The tacos are ultra-special, as a result of their corn tortillas tinted with hibiscus flowers. The pork cooked in tomatillo sauce is simply amazing!

HIBISCUS-FLAVORED CORN TORTILLAS
(from Just Tacos, reprinted with permission from Shelley Wiseman)

1/2 cup hibiscus flowers
2 + 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups masa harina
1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring the water to boil, add the hibiscus flowers and sugar, mix and simmer for 5 minutes. Let it cool until it is just a bit warm. You will not use all the tea for the dough.

In a large bowl, mix the masa harina and salt. Add one and a half cups of the warm hibiscus tea to the flour, incorporate to form a soft, still moist dough. If necessary, add more tea. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, than pinch small portions to make tortillas using a tortilla press. Cook the tortillas on a hot griddle or cast iron pan. Keep them warm in a low oven, covered with a damp cloth.

to print the recipe, click here

TACOS WITH PORK IN GREEN SAUCE
(from Just Tacos, reprinted with permission from Shelley Wiseman)

1 + 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 Serrano peppers, stemmed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
3 allspice berries
1 whole clove
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 + 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
3 pounds pork shoulder, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Cover the tomatillos and Serrano chiles with cold water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, until the tomatillos are tender but still intact, about 15 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat the cumin, allspice berries, and clove in a small, dry skillet, shaking the pan until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Put the spices in a blender along with 1 cup of the tomatillo cooking water and blend until the spices are ground. Using a slotted spoon, lift the tomatillos and chiles out of the remaining cooking water and put them in the blender along with the garlic, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Blend until fully smooth. Reserve.

Pat the pork dry and season with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the pork in batches, without crowding, until brown on all sides. Return all the meat to the pan and add the tomatillo sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat. Simmer the pork, covered, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thickened, one and a half to two hours. Shred the meat with two forks, return to the sauce and make tacos with the accompaniments of your choice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This dinner could very well be a special on Noah’s Taco House! The pork in tomatillo sauce was probably one of the tastiest fillings for tacos I ever had! You can adjust the level of heat by leaving some of the Serrano chile out of the sauce, but for our taste the full amount had a nice kick. It is a perfect make-ahead dinner, as the flavors of the pork sauce intensify while sitting in the fridge.

Just Tacos is a must-have cookbook, by the way. Many variations of corn tortillas are included in the book, as well as countless versions for taco fillings. In fact, the book cover says it all: 100 Delicious Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. I give you a few tasty examples: Duck Legs Braised in Chipotle-Tomatillo Sauce, Tacos with Grilled Shrimp in Adobo, Creamy Poblano Chile and Corn Tacos, Swiss Chard and Potato Tacos, Yucatecan Pulled Pork Tacos...

I close this post with a picture that I imagine would bring a huge smile to Noah. One of our dogs, Buck, always lays by Phil’s chair at the dining table and is usually very well-behaved. Somehow the smell of this dinner got to him, and every minute or so he would make his presence a little more obvious, standing up and touching Phil’s arm as delicately as possible with his paws.

“Hello, Daddy, here I am! Got a piece of meat to spare?”