Pork Tenderloin with Chimichuuri

Two Pork Tenderloins to serve four to six.

• Two cups loosely packed Cilantro
• 5 Cloves Garlic
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1tsp White Pepper
• 6Tbs Lime juice
• 1/3 C. Olive Oil

Pulse garlic in food processor. Add cilantro and pulse until finely chopped. Add lime juice, oil, salt and pepper and pulse until sauce just comes together.

Reserve ½ C. Chimichurri sauce.

Pierce tenderloins with a fork several times on each side and place in a large zip lock bag. Pour remaining sauce over pork and marinate 4 to 6 hours turning several times.

Bring tenderloins to room temperature. Heat a grill to 400 degrees, cook about 8 minutes per side.

Let the meat rest 5 to 10 minuets. Slice and drizzle remaining sauce over the sliced pork.

Halibut

Halibut Filets
1 C. Panko*
½ C. Grated parmesan
Coarse Salt
Black Pepper
Juice of large lemon
Butter and EVOO

Rinse filets, pat dry and squeeze lemon juice over both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix Panko and cheese. Coat filets with crumb mixture. Melt a few pats of butter and some EVOO in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Cook fish about five minutes per side, until flakey.

* A sort of Japanese bread crumb. Much lighter coating for fish than a traditional breadcrumb.

Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom and Wine Sauce

As it turns out people are actually still coming over here DESPITE my intense neglect. I've decided to try and post more regularly. I fixed dinner for Precious Oldest and friends last night, here is the menu.

Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce
Wild Rice
Asparagus

Two pork tenderloins, about a pound each. Mix together a good spoonful each garlic salt, cracked black pepper, thyme*. Sprinkle over pork and and rub in well. Leave to sit at room temperature for half an hour.

Heat two pats butter and some EVOO in a good sized sauce pan. Add ½ lb. baby portabellas: cleaned, stems removed, sliced thinly. Cook over medium heat, when they release their liquid season with salt, fresh ground pepper, thyme. Oh, and I threw in a little dry onion.

Mix ¾ C. beef stock, ¾ C. dry red wine and a spoonful corn starch. Add to mushrooms, stir and simmer 20 or so minutes to reduce. (Towards the end taste for seasoning and add a pat of butter to gloss.)

Grill tenderloins at about 400 degrees, 8 minutes per side. Cover with foil and let rest 5 to 8 minutes.

Slice pork and ladle sauce over sliced meat. People - it was awesome.

* I didn’t have fresh on hand so I used dried French Thyme. If you use ground thyme I would use less.

Citrus Grilled Chicken

Monday Dinner

• Citrus Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Pineapple
• Basmati Rice
• Salad

1/2 C. Orange Juice
1/3 C. Vegetable Oil
2 Big Spoonfuls Orange Marmalade
1 Big Spoonful Soy Sauce
1 Big Spoonful Grated Ginger
Couple grinds Black Pepper

I mixed the above and marinated about a pound and a half of chicken tenders for about six hours. I grilled them six minutes per side.

I took large slices of fresh pineapple and threaded them on skewers. I brushed them lightly with olive oil and threw them on the grill when I turned the chicken. I turned once, so three minutes per side.

Served both over rice with a salad. Great way to christen our new patio furniture!

Asian Style Barbecue Pork

I have a BBQ sauce recipe that I love with chicken and beef, but I wanted to try something different for pork.

Asian BBQ Sauce

• 1 C. Ketchup (Shut it, it’s the best way)
  
• 1 Tbs. Each:
  Brown Sugar
  Rice Vinegar
  Soy Sauce
  Fresh Ginger
  
• 1tsp. Red Curry Paste (This is where you can turn up the heat if you'd like)
• Butter

Mix everything but the butter in a sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer five or so minutes. Stir in one to two tablespoons of butter. (Gives the sauce a pretty gloss, and adds a little richness)

I used thick center cut, boneless chops, but I think this would work with pork tenderloin as well.

I had my grill at about 360 to 370 degrees, and used indirect heat. I brushed both sides of the chops with sauce. I went fifteen minutes per side, and basted a few times. I do NOT cook the crap out of my pork. If you feel the need, by all means go longer.

I served this with Basmati rice and asparagus. Spicy, tender, delicious.

Thai Chicken and Noodles

Peanut butter

Lime Juice

Sugar

Peanut Oil

Red Curry Paste

Cilantro

Grillin'

The weather was beautiful Sunday, perfect for grilling. I have several go to marinades. I used the lemon tarragon last night and it was delicious as always.

Lemon Tarragon Marinade
Equal parts: Lemon Juice, Oil, White Wine
(I was grilling two whole boneless, skinless breasts so I did 1/3 C. each)
Salt and Pepper
Garlic
Tarragon (I'm still doing dry as my herbs are not in yet.)

Mix all the ingredients in a glass dish or large Zip-Lock bag. Marinade chicken for 6 to 8 hours. My grill was at 450 degrees and I did seven minutes per side. Very juicy, tender chicken.

I tried a new side dish I thought would be good and it turned out awesome!

Lemon Orzo
1C. Orzo
Juice and zest of one large Lemon (I’m guessing 1/4 cupish)
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
Handful Toasted Pine Nuts
Handful Shredded Asiago Cheese

Zest, then juice, the lemon. Add salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil.
I toasted my pine nuts on a sheet in my toaster oven. Mixed cooked pasta with he lemon and added the pine nuts and cheese. It was a great compliment to the chicken and will definitely be added to the rotation.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is great comfort food on a cold winter day.

Saute 1/3 an onion in a stick of butter.
Whisk in 1/2 C. flour.
Whisk in 5 cups of chicken stock.*
Simmer until thickened.
Add 1 cup of half and half.
Throw in 2 Tbs. of Chili Powder and 1 Tbs. each of Salt and Cumin.
Add 2 ts. Cayenne Pepper
Add a diced jalapeno. (Take out the seeds if you don't like a lot of heat.)
Add several cups of cooked, shredded chicken* and 1 C. cheese. ( I like the Kraft "Mexican Mix" for this.)



Top with cheese and tortilla strips.

* A recipe for stock and cooked chicken is here. If you're pressed for time, ready-made broth is fine. For the chicken, chunk up some chicken tenders and saute them in olive oil with a little onion, salt and pepper.

Friends For Dinner

We had some neighbors over for dinner Tuesday night.

MENU:

Marinara with Italian Sausage on Penne
Green Salad with Vinaigrette
Bread with good Olive Oil

I love a good marinara sauce. And I'm not talking about the stuff in a jar. This takes all of fifteen minutes to make. Step away from the Ragu people!

Here's what you need:

• Half an Onion, diced
• Garlic , clove or two, minced
• 1 lb. + Italian Sausage (Bulk)
• 28 oz. can Crushed Tomato (I prefer Di Napoli)

  

  
  
• 2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
• Salt/Pepper/Italian Seasoning
• Red Wine
• Sugar?

Sauté onion and some garlic in some olive oil.
Break up a pound or so of Italian Sausage in the pan and brown. You can use any pan, but I think a good sauté pan makes the best sauce.
Deglaze pan with a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes.
Squirt in some tomato paste. (This is where having the stuff in the tube on hand in the fridge , beats the canned stuff.)

Season to taste with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Simmer for five minutes and thin with red wine as needed.
Sometimes I add a pinch or two of sugar, sometimes not. Just taste and you'll know.
A little fresh basil on top is a nice touch too.

You can do a veggie version too. Substitute a pound of sliced mushrooms and a diced zucchini for the sausage and you've got a healthy alternative!

Bon Apitito!

Roast Chicken

Last night's dinner:

• Roast Chicken
• Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil
• Green Salad

The next time you want to run in to the store to buy a rotisserie chicken - DON'T. This recipe is so damn easy you might just as well stop by the meat counter and pick up a roasting chicken instead. The prep time is minimal, and we can all do without the extra fat they inject into those deli birds.

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse the chicken and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Put about three tablespoons of Kosher salt into a small dish and add ground black pepper to taste. Rub the cavity with the salt and pepper. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the breast and rub into the skin. Then coat the outside of the chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper too.

Tie those legs together with some kitchen twine, slap it in a roasting pan, and slide the whole deal in the oven. Set the timer for sixty minutes. Walk away. Do not open the oven door, do not baste the chicken. In fact, pour a glass of wine. Read your kid a book. Fold a load of laundry. Clean up dog vomi… oh sorry; that’s just a my house.

After an hour (just to make sure it’s done) pierce a leg with a fork to make sure the juice runs clear (it will). Baste the chicken with pan drippings, cover with a loose foil tent, and let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes.

When you carve the chicken, the skin will be crispy and salty. The meat will be so moist you won’t NEED gravy. (But you could make some if you did potatoes instead of pasta.)

While the chicken is resting cook the pasta. I used bowtie last night, but any short cut would work. Mix olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper (I use about a tablespoon of oil per serving). Toss the cooked pasta with the oil with and some grated parmesan. Simple and yummy.