Roasted Loin of Pork

Thank gawd for Costco and their mass quantities of stuff.  I don't know which is worse, keeping the kitchen stocked or finding something everyone wants to eat.  At least at Costco I can get the quantities cheap enough to keep them fed so half my daily battle is under control.  Finding things they will all eat is enough to send me to a corner and just babble away to myself.  Pass the meds?

If you've followed me here long enough you will get the idea that I'm not afraid to try something new.  The better half decided she wanted loin of pork and dropped more than a few hints.  The pre-marinated stuff at the store is way to expensive for feeding a family.  The other down side is the stuff is waaaayyyy over salted.  Which is fine if you are a camel and don't mind hauling an extra gallon of water around.  Costco came to my rescue this week with nice loin of pork at $2.01/lb...damn close to FREE!

Ah, but what to do with it.  I waded through Ina, Julia, Dean & Doluca even Mags and thing just didn't jell with a single recipe.  I did notice the common herbage and spice in the search included apple cider/juice instead of lemon in a lot of the recipes.  The wheels got to turning and I remembered the Thanksgiving Turkey we did this year had an interesting marinade from Ina that I figured could be adapted to fit a loin of pork.  

I sometimes scare myself on how often something tasty comes out of the oven first crack.  Of course good tools like a mini-food processor is perfect for whizzing up little bits of stuff better than the regular size processor or a blender.  Programmable convection ovens help too as it does such a good job of even browning and the probe shuts down at the right temp so over cooking is pretty hard to do. 

Roasted Loin of Pork

3 - 3 1/2 lb Pork Loin

• 1/4c butter
  
• 1/4c extra virgin olive oil
  
• 2 T dijon style mustard
• 1 T chopped garlic
  
• 2 t salt (I used sea salt)
  
• 2 T fresh sage (1T dried)
  
• 2 T parsley (1 T dried)
  
• 1 t fennel seed
  
• 1 t thyme
  
• 1/2 t rosemary
  
• 1/2 t cracked black pepper
  
• 1 cup apple juice or cider.
  

Score the fat on the pork loin with each score about 1/2 - 3/4" inch apart making a grid pattern.  Set aside.

Combine butter, olive oil, mustard, spice, herbs salt and pepper in a mini-prep.  Whiz until herbs are finely chopped but not pureed.  Reserve 3T of the mixture in sealed jar.  Rub remainder on roast and marinade in zip seal freezer bag and squeeze marinade evenly around the roast.  Allow to rest at least 2 hours in the fridge.  

About 30 minutes prior to roasting bring the bagged loin out and let it rest on counter to warm up closer to room temperature.  At end of rest place in roaster, fat side up.  Spread 1/2 of the reserved marinade on top of the loin.  Add apple juice to pan.

Roast in 325 oven 1 3/4-2 hours until 170F.  Half way through roasting slather the remaining marinade on top of the roast.  Monitor the liquid around the roast, add additional water to keep it from burning and drying out.  When the loin is at 170 remove from oven and tent with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.   

The mini-prep from braun is a life saver for these little projects.  Perfect for small quantities and and easy clean up.  The heavy duty freezer zip-lock bags work best for marinades.

All set and ready to roast.  Monitor the juice and add water when it starts to get too dry otherwise you run the risk of it caramelizing to the point of being an ash.  Not pretty nor is it tasty.

Easy and Healthy...slide into the New Year

I have to admit that a lot of nights I don't have much time to cook, hell many not enough time to spend prepping for a meal.  When I do cook I always put on a little extra for two reasons.  If the kids have someone along extra I can feed them with no hassle.  The other is that the little extra can be for those nights I don't have time to cook and having a "left over" on purpose makes life easier.

New Years Day at my house has been steaks since I was a kid in MO.  Largely because my parents but a half-a-cow at a time and there were always ample steaks.  Even if it was below freezing my Mom would still be out there grilling for us in the carport to carry on the tradition.

Costco has these multi-pack rib eyes for a fraction of the cost of only a couple at a regular market. That makes it possible to feed the fam and still have an extra one or two for adding to salads to round out a lighter meal a day or so later.

One of our favorite combos around here is bleu cheese and steaks or bleu cheese and pears.  Putting both on the plate is pretty much taste heaven.    The dressing can varie but one of our regular favorites is one made with a barbecue sauce as the base.  Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce is our most favorite variety.  Add some greens, sliced pears and stilton (or gorgonzola as was the case for this salad) on one half the plate, then lightly warm the beef and thinly slice on the other half.  Drizzle with the dressing and you have some pretty tasty eats.

Raspberry Chipotle Salad Dressing

• 1/3 c Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
  
• 1/4 c olive oil
  
• 1/4 c red wine vinegar
  
• 1/4 t fresh cracked pepper
  
• salt to taste
  

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small jar, shake well until combined.  Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

I'm not a fan of chicken and it goes back to my days in a fast food chicken chain.  Unfortunately the fam loves the stuff and I have to find ways to disguise it and make it tasty where I can enjoy it too.  Adding in the words of Mario Batali, the "undisputed king of cheese" good old Parmesan makes chicken quite tasty and enjoyable for beef eaters like me.

This recipe is a combo of several others I've read or tried.  Its pretty easy to prepare, its the prep that is time consuming.  Add in corn and mashed 'taters and you have a right tasty comfort food dinner on the table pretty quickly.  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

• 6 boneless chicken breasts - approx 1 1/2 lbs
  
• salt
  
• pepper
  
• 3/4 c flour
  
• 1 T onion powder
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 T milk
  
• 3/4  c grated fresh Parmesan
  
• 1/4 c loose packed fresh basil leaves. (or 2 T dry basil)
  
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
  
• 1/2 t garlic powder
  
• 2 T olive oil
  
• 1 T butter divided.
  

Preheat oven to 325F

Pat chicken dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Gather 3 shallow bowls large enough to fit one chicken breast.

In bowl #1 combine flour and onion powder.

In bowl #2 add egg and milk, beat well.

In food processor add fresh Parmesan and pulse until coarse grated.  Add bread crumbs, tear up basil leaves and add to processor container.  Pulse until basil is finely chopped and evenly distributed in the cheese and bread crumbs.  Pour Cheese mixture into bowl #3.

Take a seasoned chicken breast.  Dip in Bowl #1 (flour mixture).  Remove and dip into bowl #2 (Milk and egg).  Remove and set into the cheese mixture bowl.  Lightly press into cheese, turn the breast over and repeat so both sides are evenly covered with the cheese mixture.  Put aside on clean board to rest while breading the remaining chicken breasts.

In large nonstick frying pan heat over medium heat.   Add olive oil, when it begins to shimmer add  1T butter and 3 chicken breasts.  Cook about 5 minutes until bottom is golden brown, carefully flip and cook remaining side until golden brown about 3-5 minutes.  Remove breasts from pan and add to baking sheet lined with silpat liner.  Add remaining 1 T butter repeat searing process with remaining breasts.

Place baking pan in oven and roast for 20 minutes.  NOTE: time and temp is for convection oven, if using regular oven increase heat to 350F and time to 25-30 minutes.  Test for doneness by sticking a knife into thickest piece - if juices run clear its done, if not bake 5 minutes longer.

The resting period of a few minutes from the time you bread the breast until you sear it is really important.  That rest allows the egg in the crust to set up and really hold it tight to the chicken breast instead of falling off into your frying pan.  

 

A silpat sheet is a must with this one.  As there is so much cheese in the crust it sticks too easily to the pan and you wind up leaving most of the cheesy goodness behind.

If you have the convection option use the option as it really keeps a nice even heat on the chicken ensuring its cooked through and not "hot spots" scorching the crust.

If you can use fresh basil in this one do so.  There is a certain "green" taste in the fresh that you just don't get out of the dried.

White Bean and Spinach Soup

Today is a soup day.  You know the kind of day - cold (well 50's in So Cal is cold) overcast, with threatening rain.  Just what one needs to fill the belly and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Added boner with this soup is that after sugar binging and binging in general the last 5 weeks since Thanksgiving its time to add some serious roughage and clean out the pipes.  This is just the soup to take care of it all.

I'm a total cheater when it comes to soup.  I do shortcuts like canned broth and stocks...far easier than the hours it takes to make from scratch.  The nice part is there is no bones to pick, meat to shred or whatever.  Pour and go with a taste like you did all the preceding steps and slaved away for a few hours.  Life is good with shortcuts, got that martha?

White Bean and Spinach Soup

• 1 lb Italian Sausage
  
• 1 large yellow onion - diced
  
• 2 carrots sliced - diced
  
• 1 T minced garlic
  
• 1 t ground pepper
  
• 1/2 c coarse chopped basil (2T dried)
  
• 2 32 oz low sodium chicken stock
  
• 2  15 oz cans white kidney beans - drained
  
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 
  
• 1 12oz bag spinach
  
• olive oil
  
• salt
  
• Parmesan
  

Pour enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of a large stock pot.  Add sausage and brown on all sides until dark and crusty about 5 minutes per side.  Remove sausage, do not drain fat from pot. Slice sausage and reserve.

Add onion, carrot and fresh ground pepper to the hot pot.  Stir occasionally until onions are starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute stirring constantly so as not to burn garlic.

Add sliced sausage, tomatoes with liquid, broth, beans  and basil.  Add salt to taste.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add the end of the simmer increase heat and add spinach.  Cook about 3-4 minutes until the spinach has wilted.  Serve piping hot with fresh grated Parmesan on top and good dipping bread on the side.

Note:try to get low sodium varieties of broth/stock.  Resist temptation to salt until all the ingredients have been combined as the broth/stocks can be very salty and adding your own prior could be really too salty to enjoy.

 

Panini - its still grilled cheese you ninny

December pretty much wiped me out this year. Tired, beat exhausted and combo's therein. After all was said and done I broke down and got the Calphalon Panini Grill that I have been eyeing for ages.  A little self indulgence is good for a tired old soul.

At 49.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond it was a screaming deal (for Calphalon that is). As if I prolly couldn't have used my grill pan and stuck a foil wrapped brick on it for the same effect, but then again I'm a cookware whore so I had to go the distance and get an official panini pan.

Those stupid sandwiches are all the rage. Put on your best "Godfather" voice "PA nee nee" and you have it nailed down. Why call it panini instead of grilled cheese? My best guess is that they can turn a 2 buck grilled cheese on the kiddy menu into a $10 sandwich on the adult entree side. My guess, could be wrong but I don't think so.

With this silly panini grill we've been on a hot sandwich binge. It falls into the stupid easy category. Bread, some sort of binder like mayo, mustard cheese, vegie and meats are at your whim.

Pictured is a "Rueben Panini". Roast beef, mayo, sauerkraut and swiss on Jewish Rye.

Other variations have been equally easy to slap together and grill up. So far the big "hits" aren't that unusual more adding a new ingredient or two to make it more than the usual grilled cheese.

"Cheese Steak" - Jewish Rye, roast beef, roasted red peppers, swiss and hot asian mustard.

"Grilled Chicken" - Wheat bread, grilled chicken slices, roasted red peppers and swiss

"Tuna Melt" - Rye Bread, Tuna (chicken of the sea) pepper, cheddar and jack cheese

"Italiano" - Chibata, provolone and mozzarella

"Holey Bread and Cheese" Swiss and Sourdough

Of course after all that cheese you better have a salad on the side to keep the pipes running clear(ish).

Poblano Potato Gratin

One of my favorite cooking magazines is Gourmet.  The recipes are pretty global and they give the history of the region it came from as well as resources for the odd ingredients.  Fortunately in LA I usually don't have to wander too far too often to find the real deal or a reasonable substitute.

This recipe was in the November 2008 issue and it really got my attention.  Potato gratin with attitude thanks to some roasted peppers.  IT could go with a lot of different foods as the heat was just enough.  And it did just that last night when a bunch of my old friends from the cube-dwelling days got together for the Holidays.  This was the perfect side, adding just the right amount of heat and creaminess to counter point the Asian Crusted Salmon (recipe to follow) and a traditional Beef Bourginon.

Poblano Potato Gratin

Serves 8 (side dish) 

Active time:45 min Start to finish:2 1/2 hr 

November 2008 

In Mexican cuisine, rajas refers to thin strips of roasted chiles. Although they commonly spice up everything from stews to tamales, rajas are best when adding a kick to creamy dishes. Here, forest-green poblanos lend a mild, almost fruity heat to a potato gratin.

• 1 1/2 lb fresh poblano chiles (about 5) -I substituted Anaheim
  
• 1 lb onions, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips 
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
  
• 3 lb large Yukon Gold potatoes 
  
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
  
• 3/4 cup whole milk - I substituted non-fat milk
  

Roast chiles and make rajas:

Roast chiles on their sides on racks of gas burners (or see cooks’ note, below) on high, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened all over, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and let stand, covered tightly, 10 minutes.

When chiles are cool enough to handle, peel or rub off skin. Slit chiles lengthwise, then stem, seed, and devein. Cut lengthwise into thin strips.

Cook onions with 1 tsp salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in chiles and remove rajas from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup rajas for topping.

Make gratin:

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 3-qt shallow baking dish.

Peel potatoes, then cut crosswise into 1/16-inch-thick slices with slicer. Transfer to a small heavy pot. Add cream, milk, and 1 tsp salt and bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally (liquid will thicken). Stir in rajas, then pour mixture evenly into baking dish. Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup rajas on top.

Bake until potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cooks’ notes: 

Chiles can be roasted by broiling on a broiler pan 2 inches from heat, turning, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Rajas can be made 3 days ahead and chilled. 

Gratin can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature and reheat, covered, in a 350°F oven (about 30 minutes).

Cherry Fudge (stupid easy of course)

Its the holidays.  I have an excuse to bake and cook like a fiend for the fam and friends and give it all away as gifts.  Baking and Candy making is my favorite part of the Holidays.  Of course Fudge tops the list of my candy making.

Last year the basic fudge got names "Stupid Easy Fudge" by my friend Ruth666.  Yup, it really is that easy.

Today,s version used 82% Valrhona and semi-sweet chips in a 50/50 blend.  Keeps the final product the right texture for cutting and of course, how it feels as it melts in your mouth. 

Cherry Fudge

8 oz Valrhona 82% Cocoa chocolate - coarse chop

8 ox semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c coarse chopped dried cherry

1 T Cherry Brandy

Line an 8X8 baking dish with foil or cling film.

In microwave safe dish put in the chopped valrhona.  Cover with semi-sweet chips.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top.  Microwave 1 minute.  Test - if center still cool to touch microwave 30 seconds and test again.  Do not boil.  When center is just warm, add cherry brandy and stir until smooth.  Fold dried cherry in to the mix.  Pour into prepared pan, cover and cool.