BOURBON & MOLASSES-GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

Posted in Pork by sallybr

Do you use Feastie? It is one of my favorite sites to find interesting recipes and new blogs. Not too long ago, I did a search for pork tenderloin and a recipe using bourbon, coffee, and molasses popped up. I saved it right away. A simple marinade, with very complex flavors. Plus, as a bonus I got to know a new (to me) food blog, with a cute name: Ezra Pound Cake!

MOLASSES-GLAZED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
(adapted from Ezra Pound Cake)

Two 1-pound pork tenderloins
1/4 cup strong black coffee, cold or room temperature
1/4 cup bourbon
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the tenderloins, pat them dry, and trim off the silver skin and any excess fat. Place them in a shallow container or large resealable bag. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the coffee, bourbon, molasses, vinegar, olive oil, and thyme.

Pour the marinade over the pork, and turn to coat on all sides. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. (Turn the pork a few times to evenly distribute the marinade.)

Light your grill. Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the pork to your desired degree of doneness. I like to use the 7-6-5 method (seven minutes over a hot grill, brush with marinade, flip the meat and grill for 6 minutes on the other side, turn the grill off without opening the lid, and leave it inside for the final 5 minutes).

Remove the pork from the grill, and transfer to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice the pork into small medallions and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This recipe reminded me of a favorite of mine, blogged about a couple of years ago. It made me realize how much I love to use coffee (and also tea) in savory recipes. I must say, though, that Phil prefers when I butterfly the meat before marinating and grilling it. He likes his pork well cooked, and the 7-6-5 method makes the thickest region of the pork a tad undercooked for his taste. Of course, you can always grill it a little bit longer to please your guests. Because of the molasses in the marinade, if your grill runs super hot, you might want to tone it down a little. I said it before, but it’s worth repeating: pork tenderloin is the busy cook’s best friend! 😉

A cool feature of Feastie: you can find a nice database for recipes of many food blogs, including the BK. Check my collection here.

ONE YEAR AGO: Scallops in Orange-Caramel Sauce

TWO YEARS AGO: Fire-Roasted Tomato Risotto

THREE YEARS AGO: Cranberry-Teriyaki Lamb Rack with Couscous Salad

11Aug2012

THAI-INSPIRED PORK TENDERLOIN

Posted in Pork by sallybr

The combination of marinade and hot-sour sauce for this recipe came from Rachael Ray’s show, “Week in a Day”. She used it to flavor chicken legs and pork ribs, but I went on a slightly different route and applied it to butterflied pork tenderloin. The marinade is superb, but what made the dish ultra-special was the sauce to be served alongside. Heads up: the sauce starts with a ginger-infused simple syrup that must cool down before the other ingredients are added. Start early… 😉

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH THAI-MARINADE
(adapted from Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day)

1 pork tenderloin, butterflied, lightly pounded to even thickness

for marinade:
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 cloves garlic
2 serrano chile peppers, seeded and chopped
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 stalk lemongrass, white part chopped
1 lime, sliced

for sweet and sour chili sauce:
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 lime, juiced

For the marinade: Combine the cilantro, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, chile peppers, ginger and the white part of the lemongrass in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. It will be fairly thick.

Place the butterflied pork inside a plastic bag or a pyrex baking dish, and pour the marinade all over it, massaging the pork to coat well. Add the lime slices, close the bag or cover the dish with plastic film. Place in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours, the longer the better.

While the meat marinades, make the sweet and sour sauce. Combine 1/2 cup water, the sugar and ginger in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then cook gently for a couple of minutes to infuse the syrup with the ginger. Pour the syrup into a small bowl and let completely cool. Remove the ginger, then stir in the vinegar, cilantro, mint, Sriracha, fish sauce, and lime juice.

Remove the meat from the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking. Heat the grill on high. Right before grilling, brush off most of the marinade, and cook the meat to your liking (about 12 minutes total, flipping the meat halfway through the cooking time). Let it sit tented with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before slicing at an angle.

Serve with the sauce alongside.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This recipe was a big winner, it crossed the finish line like Usain Bolt , leaving all other recipes behind! Intense flavor all around, I swear I could eat that sweet and sour sauce by the spoonful, it is addictive. Thick, sweet, gooey, spicy, hot, I could not stop pouring it over the meat… Phil at some point asked “would you like some meat with your sauce?” 😉 I blame the Sriracha. It gets me every single time. I hope you try this recipe, don’t let the number of ingredients scare you, once you get the marinade and the sauce ready, it’s pretty much a done dinner deal.

ONE YEAR AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba

TWO YEARS AGO: Summer’s Tomatoes

THREE YEARS AGO: Leaving on a jet plane…

2Jul2012

AMAZING RIBS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY

Posted in Pork by sallybr

I’ve been making ribs the exact same way for many years, but when I read this recipe, I predicted they would be spectacular. Indeed, my expectations were spot on. If you are also very partial to a particular tried-and-true recipe for barbecued ribs, please try this version: they are sticky, sweet, spicy, juicy, tender, you and your guests will leave only a pile of very clean rib bones on the plate!

STICKY BALSAMIC RIBS
(adapted from The Parsley Thief, original recipe from Gourmet, 2009)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons + 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 Tablespoon salt (divided)
4 racks baby back pork ribs
1 + 1/2 cups water (divided)
1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Mix the rosemary, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar plus the cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mince the garlic, add 1 teaspoon of salt to it and mash with the side of a large knife to form a paste. Add it to the marinade with 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper & mix all the ingredients together. Rub evenly over the ribs and place in a baking dish. Marinate, chilled, for 8-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan and pour 1/2 cup water inside, under the ribs. Cover tightly with foil, and bake the ribs until the meat is very tender, about 2 and a half hours. Remove from the oven and transfer the ribs to a platter.

Add 1 cup of water to the pan, and using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits. Strain the liquid into a measuring cup, or gravy separator to remove the excess fat. Transfer to a skillet and add 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer gently until reduced to about 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the grill. Brush some glaze over both sides of the ribs and grill, turning occasionally, until the ribs are hot and with nice grill marks all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Brush the ribs with some more glaze and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is a perfect recipe for the heat wave we’re going through (111 F last week in Manhattan, 106 F this week in Norman), because the initial baking happens at a reasonably low temperature. Plus, you can do that step very early in the morning, even a couple of days ahead of your party. Remove the ribs from the fridge an hour or so before dinner, turn the grill on, and assemble a few side dishes. In less than 10 minutes you will be ready to enjoy THE most amazing ribs ever! The balsamic glaze is a nice change from the usual barbecue sauce. I can see it complementing a thick piece of grilled salmon quite well.

Need the perfect dessert for the 4th? Try my beloved’s husband patriotic pie!

ONE YEAR AGO: Baby Back Ribs on the 4th of July

TWO YEARS AGO: Blueberry Muffins

THREE YEARS AGO: A Pie for your 4th of July

20Jun2012

PORK PAPRIKASH

Posted in Pork by sallybr

When I lived in São Paulo one of my favorite dishes was the paprika schnitzel from a German restaurant called “Jucalemão“. Sauteed pork cutlets, pounded thin, were served hidden beneath a sea of deliciously creamy sauce, bright with the color of paprika, and paired with three big potato dumplings (knodels). I learned of Jucalemão at age 19 from my first boyfriend, and my last visit was 14 years (or…. two boyfriends and a husband ;-)) later. When I left Brazil for good, I never returned. Whenever we come back to São Paulo for a visit I intend to stop by with Phil, but something always prevents us. As a result, I have a permanent craving for that fantastic dish. I’ve ordered pork paprikash in other places (even in Germany!), but it was not as I remember it from Jucalemão. So, when I got a feed from Martha Stewart Everyday Food with the two magical words on the subject, a deep feeling of nostalgia hit me. I had to make it, even though I knew it would be a different take on the dish of my past.

PORK PAPRIKASH
(adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food)

Coarse salt and ground pepper
egg noodles
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise, cut in slivers
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
1 can (14 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup sour cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles until tender; drain and return to pot. Stir in a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking, cover and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine pork with 1 tablespoon paprika; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet, when very hot add the pork slivers, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Return skillet to stove; reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon oil and shallots; cook until the pieces are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add pork, remaining tablespoon paprika, tomatoes with their juice, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook, until sauce is slightly thickened, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon,about 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat, and stir in sour cream; season with salt and pepper. If necessary, warm it up over very gentle heat, just briefly. Serve paprikash over noodles.

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I had never treated pork tenderloin by this method of cutting in slices and stir-frying. I toned down my expectations, assuming it would turn out too dry. Well, we both enjoyed our meal quite a bit. It doesn’t have the complexity of a similar preparation using pork butt or shoulder, but it was flavorful enough with all the paprika, and cooked so fast that I can see myself adapting other sauces and seasonings to bring tenderloin to our table. Until now, I’d always resorted to either the 7-6-5 method, or butterflying it and grilling (Phil’s favorite kind).

As to the pork paprikash of my past, maybe I should contact the restaurant. I got this craving, and January is still pretty far away… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Roasted Tomato Soup

TWO YEARS AGO: Auvergne Rye Bread with Bacon

THREE YEARS AGO: Anticipation

20Apr2012

A SECOND TASTE OF HOME COOKING

Posted in Beef, Pasta & Noodles, Pork by sallybr

On my most recent adventure in The Secret Recipe Club, I had a hard time deciding between two recipes from my assigned blog, “A Taste of Home Cooking”. I went with Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, but couldn’t wait to make possibility number 2, a recipe that took me straight back to my California days.

This might surprise you, but when I arrived in the US for the first time in 1986, both me and my former husband had zero experience with frozen dinners, as they didn’t exist in Brazil back then. We were amazed! Those cute little boxes ready to warm up and enjoy, so many options, so convenient! We went TV-dinner-crazy, trying all sorts of brands and styles of cuisine. Once the thrill of the novelty passed, we went back to our regular approach of home-cooked meals, but I never lost a soft spot for “Swedish Meatballs with Noodles”. That little frozen box, and Velveeta (there, I said it!) are a bit disturbing for a food blogger to love, but… I am guilty on both counts. I’ve got nothing to say in my defense about Velveeta, but I’m redeeming myself on frozen dinners with this home-cooked version of a favorite classic.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS AND EGG NOODLES
( from A Taste of Home Cooking, original recipe from Rachael Ray)

for the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped (I used 1 shallot)
A few drops Worcestershire sauce (I used 1 tsp)
Salt and pepper

for the sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream (I reduced to 1/4 cup)

1 bag wide egg noodles (I used fettuccine)
1 tablespoon butter

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl, and form bite-size balls, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning them midway through cooking time.

As the meatballs bake, boil water for the pasta and start preparing the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat, sprinkle the flour over it, and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly add sherry and whisk until the sauce reduces by half. Add beef broth in a slow stream and continue stirring until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and add salt and pepper to taste, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with butter. Turn a low heat under the sauce to gently warm it, add the baked meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, and serve over pasta.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a delicious meal, quick and simple to prepare. Next time, I will make two small adjustments: bake the meatballs slightly less, so they will be lighter in color, and use the full amount of sour cream in the sauce.

Just as I expected, this meal brought memories of my first few months in the US, when I could barely communicate in English, and struggled to adjust to a new environment. I had no idea that 26 years later I’d be writing a blog about it, especially because the term blog didn’t exist. 😉

If A Taste of Home Cooking is not on your list of blogs to visit, jump right over, she’s got a ton of great recipes to share!

ONE YEAR AGO: Italian Easter Pie

TWO YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy