Just think Spring... Please!

It's the dead of Winter, the cold has settled in, and before the month of January has passed, we may very well experience a blanket of snow on the ground; however, don't be dismayed, you can still celebrate Spring and all its colors while in the comfort of your home. And when you look out your window, if you simply look up at the blue sky and not the lifeless trees, you can imagine it's the middle of April and it's nearly lunch time!

This Pork Tenderloin Salad will certainly ease the pains of Winter and like all wonderful Spring season salads, this one is as easy to create as the rest of them,  with all the nutrition your body needs to keep you going for the rest of the day. There's nothing complicated with the ingredients and all are readily available. Here they are for a lunch party of 4:

4 Pork Tenderloin medallions (3/4 inch thick, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness)
3 medium sized ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges, then each wedge cut in half
2 Belgium Endives, sliced in 1 inch lengths
1/2 cup fresh Fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch of fresh Dill, roughly chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper (for pork)
1/4 cup of white wine (dry)

Salad Dressing:

1/2 cup of olive oil
1/6 cup of white rice vinegar plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon of honey
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by heating the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat in a large frying pan. Once olive oil just begins to smoke, reduce heat to medium high and place each tenderloin medallion in the pan. Saute for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned and salt each with a couple of shakes, along with the pepper. Medallions should be cooked to medium, but do not overcook!! You want to maintain the moisture content. Remove from pan and set aside to cool to room temperature. Discard the liquid/oil from the pan, but do not wash pan (you will deglaze it shortly).

Prepare all the vegetables as directed and place in a medium size bowl. Toss WITHOUT the dressing, so that all ingredients are well mixed. Set aside.

Prepare your salad dressing, adding all ingredients in a small bowl and beating well with a fork until liquids are well mixed and blended. Set aside.

Return the frying pan over medium high heat. Now add the white wine and deglaze the pan and continue deglazing until the liquid is reduced by half. Shut the heat off, remove pan from stove top and stir in the salad dressing into the pan until well blended.

To assemble, place a medallion of pork in the center of each plate and pour a tablespoon of the dressing over each one. Next, 1/4 of the salad over each medallion. Finally, drizzle several tablespoons of the dressing over each serving. At this time, you can sprinkle of few sprigs of dill over each serving as a final touch. Serve at room temperature and enjoy with a glass of the same white wine, along with a couple of slices of crusty French baguette bread. It goes without saying that one should cook with the same wine they would have no problem drinking!

Napoleon is not just dessert anymore!

Whenever you think of a Napoleon, instantly your mind envisions wonderful layers of thin puff pastry, vanilla, cream, and custard, ever so sweet, every bite begging another. Mille-Feuilles in French, this dessert goes back to the 17 Th  Century, some having it go back hundreds of years earlier.

Well, now you can wake up and take those visions out of your head. Think savory! This Napoleon is like no other and sugar is no closer  than the sun is to the earth. Furthermore, as opposed to the final course, Pork Tenderloin Napoleon sneaks in at the beginning. No less pleasing to the eyes, this wonderful dish will impress your guests from the aromas coming out of your kitchen to the last bite.

Elegant as it looks, Pork Tenderloin Napoleon is very easy to make and assemble. If you've been following this blog, you've already prepared each of the components in the past. Each serving consists of slices of Pork Tenderloin, puff pastry, and a wonderful Port or Madeira wine sauce with sauteed shallots, garlic, and thinly sliced Portabella mushrooms.

To start out, gather all your ingredients:

1 Pork Tenderloin roast (about 1.5 lbs)
1 Puff Pastry sheet, thawed, refrigerator chilled until ready to use
2 Portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thick
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of capers
1 teaspoon of green peppercorns (if dried, soak in warm water for 30 minutes)
1 cup of Port or Madeira Wine
1/2 cup of beef stock
3 tablespoons of butter
olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)

Presentation goes a long way to making simplicity elegant

You can take simple ingredients that are easy on the wallet and transform them into an elegant dish simply by how you choose to place them on a dinner plate. Presentation plays a most important role in the appeal and impressions you will make on your guests.

Although the sense of smell is the first recognition of what may soon present itself at the dinner table, sight is the affirmation of whether or not the nose was correct in its assumption. After all, most of us get the first taste of a meal with our eyes; hence the phrase, "we eat with our eyes". The food industry spends millions each year making everything from junk food to gourmet items look appealing and enticing enough for you to go out and purchase those products. Careful attention is paid to how foods are placed, the quantity plated, and color. Our eyes gloss over the professionally edited photos and the imagination of how good the food pictured must taste. The nose is nowhere to be found.

A case in point, the dinner plate pictured above was by no means shot by a professional photographer, nor was the editing performed beyond  the average reader's capabilities; however, pay close attention to the ingredients, quantity, placement, and color. The ingredients are simple and limited to 3 or 4 including sauce. Next, you see the plate is not filled to overflowing. As far as elegance in the beholder's eyes are concerned, less is more. Notice how the food has been plated, with some items overlapping, others placed in different areas of the plate, in this example, the baby potatoes. There are no rules that say all like items have to be grouped together. Also notice  there is no overabundance of sauce, just enough to compliment the flavors of the main ingredients. Finally, color provides the final touches and accents to the dish, giving the presentation dimension.

The baby green beans are steamed for about 7 minutes and gently tossed with butter (cost approx. $0.80 per serving.

The baby Yukon Gold potatoes are lightly boiled for  20 to 25 minutes, 4 to 5 per person (cost approx. $1.00 per person @ $3.99/lb. and are about 1 inch diameter).

The meatball (top round beef, Italian sweet sausage, parsley, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, and a bit of bread crumbs (1 level teaspoon per meatball) and is sauteed in olive oil over medium high heat until browned, then pan is place in a 350 oven, baked for another 30 minutes. Each meatball is approximately 3 inches in diameter and is 3 oz. (approx. cost $1.10 per person).

The sauce is a simple sauce made from the pan drippings of the finished meatballs. Meatballs are removed from pan, then pan is deglazed with a bit of red wine and beef broth in equal portions and reduced by half, using burner setting at medium, then medium low. Once reduced, add a level teaspoon of tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and sauce has thickened (approx. cost $0.55 per person).

The cost for a dinner of 4 comes to approximately $3.45 per person and another 30 cents for sundry items like butter and spices. At $3.75 per person, this simple dinner, well presented, not only exudes elegance, but at a bargain price and your guests won't even know.

Remember, presentation is very important here as it can make a world of difference. But isn't that true for other things in our lives, the way we wear our clothes and decorate our homes? The word here is style - at a bargain!

German New Year's Dinner to bring luck in 2012

Braised Pork Roast in beer and sherry, Butter Mash Potatoes, Sauerkraut with bacon in a tomato garlic sauce, and Sauteed Carrots, not just your run of the mill dinner feast for the holidays; however, for the millions with German heritage, it is a meal taken seriously on the first day of the new year, assuring good luck and plenty for the coming twelve months.

If you've allowed January 1st to go unnoticed, fear not, there is always next year. Furthermore, it is never too early to start planning for your next good luck feast. We begin with our Braised Pork Roast slowly baked in its juices, beer, and sherry.

3 to 4 lb Pork Roast
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
16 oz. bottle of beer
8 oz. of dry Sherry
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
3 tablespoons of fine grain mustard (German)
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

This may seem like quite a long list of ingredients for Pork roast; however, you are also going to make the sauce that will accompany the roast. Start with a pan large enough to accommodate the roast with a lid over it. Over medium high heat, add the vegetable oil and brown your roast on all sides. Remove roast from pan and set aside.

Bring temperature down to medium and saute your onions and garlic until translucent. You may add a bit more oil if needed. Next, add the dry Sherry and deglaze the pan. Once deglazed, add the salt and pepper and stir well. Now add the beer and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat back to medium and continue to cook until liquid has reduced by 1/3.

With the garlic powder, sprinkle on all sides and return to the pan. Cover tightly with a lid and transfer it to a 400 preheated oven. Bake covered at 400 for about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for approximately 1 1/2  to 2 hours.

Once your pork roast is ready, remove it from the pan and set on a cutting board to rest. While meat is resting, prepare your sauce. Set pan over medium heat and add the mustard. Stir well until blended. Add a few tablespoons of hot water to the cornstarch and stir until well dissolved. Now add it to the sauce and stir. Sauce should begin to thicken. Bring sauce to a light boil and continue to cook for about 5 minutes over low heat. Remove pan from heat and add your butter. Stir well until butter has completely melted into the sauce. Your sauce is now ready.

Slice the pork roast into 1/2 inch slices and present them in a large serving platter, slices slightly overlapping. Spoon a bit of the sauce down the center of the presentation and save the rest into a bowl for table side. This roast should serve 6 to 8 dinner guests. Serve hot alongside mash potatoes, carrots, and sauerkraut. Recipes and prep directions follow below.

A Sauerkraut like no other!

Although Sauerkraut is a very German dish, this preparation is certainly out of the norm; however, it is guaranteed to delight all guests, even those not too keen on the dish. By all means, try it before you decide. It's a wonderful preparation! This can be prepared while your pork roast is in the oven.

1 package of Sauerkraut (please, no canned stuff!)
1/4 lb. of bacon, cut in 1/2 inch slices
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
3 pinches of salt
2 pinches of sugar
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

Begin by thoroughly rinsing your Sauerkraut over cold running water. In a large sauce pan, saute the bacon over medium heat until cooked. Now add the garlic and continue to cook for a couple minutes taking care not to burn the garlic.

Now, add the vegetable broth and deglaze the pan. If you find you need a bit more liquid, just add another 1/2 cup. Lower heat to medium low and stir in the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and sugar. Blend well. Once sauce begins to bubble, add the Sauerkraut and stir well until it is completely incorporated into the sauce. Set heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. As a final touch, add the parsley and lightly toss with a fork. Serve hot alongside pork roast and mash potatoes.

Simply incredible Mash Potatoes!

The first thing you will probably notice with this preparation of Mash Potatoes is, "oh my god, all that butter!" Stop and think about it tho, you're serving up to 8 people, so it really doesn't come to more than what you would put on a baked potato and you don't think twice about 2 or 3 pads of butter on that, do you? Trust the preparation, you won't regret it. You will have incredibly velvety and buttery mash potatoes without that bland and watery taste.

4 to 5 large Russet potatoes, peeled & halved
1/2 peeled medium parsnip
1 1/2 cubes of butter (12 tablespoons)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of grated fresh Parmesan

In a large pot, add the potatoes and parsnip and fill with water until completely immersed. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until potatoes are tender but not mushy. A fork should pierce the potato and when lifted out of the water, the potato will fall back in after a couple of seconds. Immediately remove potatoes from the water and into a waiting bowl.

Pour water out of the pan and return it to the heat, reduced to low. Add the butter and cream and allow butter to completely melt. Add the Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and stir. Now add the egg yolk and blend it into the liquid. Don't allow the liquid to come to a boil. Remove from heat if needed. Using a knife, cut up the potatoes and parsnip in the bowl and transfer to the pan with the liquid.

Using a hand blender, beat potatoes on low for about 30 seconds, then on high. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue to beat on high for another minute or until potatoes are smooth. Taste for flavor and add a couple more pinches of salt if needed. Serve hot alongside the pork.

The carrots are easy to prepare. Simply use thin long carrots and saute over medium high heat with a bit of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, and pepper, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until just tender.

French Haricots meet Oyster Sauce for a savory sensation

Side dishes require more thought than many of us really care to take. One must consider what protein we are going to serve as well as how many sides we want to present. Do we do 2 vegetables, a starch and a vegetable, or simply a vegetable or starch. How will the side compliment the protein? Do we want savory or simple steamed so as not to overpower the other items in the dish. You could go on and on with this; however, just as you want to give considerate thought to what you are putting together, you don't want to make it rocket science either.

One side dish that works very well with most proteins and adds nice color to your plate is the baby green beans often called French Haricots. These small, thin green beans have grown in popularity that offer vibrant color to your dish as well as wonderful flavor. With their growth in popularity, they can now be found in most supermarkets at a very affordable price. Trader Joe's, for those fortunate enough to have one in your area, actually offers the authentic French Haricots imported from France in the frozen section, costing only $1.99 for a one pound bag. It is worth your while to try a bag, as they are absolutely delicious!

Matching very well with baked pork roast or whole chicken, French Haricots with sauteed bacon in an oyster sauce are a must try for your next side dish. Very easy to prepare, your guests will go nuts over this preparation. The ingredients, easy to procure, include:

1/2 pound of French Haricots, ends snipped
1/2 pound of bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 cup of chicken stock
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce (found in most supermarkets in the Asian section)
1/2 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and parboil the beans for about 4 minutes. While beans are parboiling, saute the bacon in the olive oil over medium high heat for several minutes. Remove beans from boiling water and drain. Set aside.

Once bacon is browned, remove from pan onto a paper towel. Remove excess oil from pan and return pan to burner. Turn burner to medium and saute the garlic for about 30 seconds and add the chicken stock to deglaze pan.

Add the beans to the pan and saute over medium heat, stirring and flipping frequently. Add back the bacon, pepper, and oyster sauce, and toss. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot. If you want, you may pour a tablespoon of melted butter over beans before serving, as well as a bit of chopped parsley. Enjoy!

When "cookers block" strikes, think dessert for your next entree inspiration

There are times when chefs (and nonchefs) will beat their brains up trying to come up with innovative new ways to create recipes and presentations with basic food items. Let's call it "cookers block" for all intent and purpose, and everyone who works with recipe creation has experienced it. Haven't you heard your Mom or Wife say, "what am I going to fix tonight? I just don't know what to make." So you go into the fridge or pantry and try putting something together that will suffice enough for the eyes and growl the stomach to hunger. It usually ends up that your lack of inspiration is reflected in your dish. You might have created something tasty; however, you lost the "wow" factor in the process.

This scenario, repeated in every kitchen, is no fault of your own. Let's face it, the thought process of coming up with 1,000 meal ideas every year can be very exhausting and you're not always going the get the praise you deserve as family members tend to take your culinary art for granted and grow to expect good things from you every time. That's the price you pay for becoming innovative, creative, and great at what you do in the kitchen. Thinking of what to create is often the most difficult part of the job of being "the cook".

So the next time you encounter "cookers block", don't crack your egghead, just remember a few simple things. First, think of three primary foods, just like the primary colors in the  art world, protein, starch, and  vegetables. In creating a new meal, you'll want to include one of each. Second, pick simple items in each category, things that won't take a ton of prep work, perhaps something that might be pre-prepared, such as ready made puff pastry as opposed to the time consuming project of making it from scratch. A cut of pork might work better in the protein category as opposed to beef or lamb, where the perfect temperature is a bit more precise and calculated with the latter. A vegetable that might work well is asparagus since you only need to steam for about 4 minutes and it comes out perfect. Finally, pick a well known dessert that you can make with these items. No seriously, pick a dessert, let's say, a Napoleon. This will become more clear in a short time. Read on...

Now you've selected your 3 main ingredients, pork, puff pastry, and asparagus, three simple items that you've work with before. Each is very easy to prepare individually, you've done it time after time. You've also decided how you're going to present it, as a Napoleon. The tough thinking part is now behind you. It's time to dress your idea up and accessorize it, much like you would dressing up before a night out on the town. The dress or suit and shoes are chosen and the jewelry, hair style, and ties are left to be chosen. But we're talking about your entree for now, so let's not digress.

There are a number of ways you can now accessorize your recipe. Perhaps an onion or better yet, a couple of shallots, chopped finely. You like? Why not add some artichoke hearts and pearls of the cuisine, green peppercorns. Are we getting excited about it all? You're not finished accessorizing yet. Let's add some parsley chopped finely, and the same with a few cloves of garlic. The perfume shall be called Marsalla wine, a perfect aroma for your creation. And finally, to make everything shine, how about a bit of olive oil and butter? See how all this is coming together? And to think that it all started with just 3 simple items, look what you've come up with!

To begin with, prepare your puff pastry for use. To do this, thaw 1 sheet of puff pastry, sprinkle it and a cutting board. Roll it out until it's about 1/8 inch thick. With a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut round disks enough for 2 per person. Place on a non greased baking sheet and brush each lightly with an egg wash. With a fork, poke a few holes in each. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the disks and then another baking sheet over that. This will prevent the disks from puffing big. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Next, remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let completely cool.

Now that you've collected all your ingredients it's time for you to put it all together in time for the big dinner. You will start with main ingredient number one, a nice pork tenderloin roast. Dress it up with a rub of olive oil, then coarse ground pepper and coarse sea salt. Give it a nice blush with a bit of smoked paprika. Now saute it on all sides in a large frying pan with a bit of olive oil. Take your time and make sure it's browned nicely on all sides. For the final process of the final look of this great cut of meat, transfer the pork in its pan directly in a 400 degree oven (200 in metric) and allow colors to continue to enhance for 25 to 30 minutes ( providing your roast is about 1.5 lbs).

While your roast is "tanning" and getting beautiful color, saute the shallots and garlic over medium heat in olive oil. Get these jewels to shine before adding the green peppercorns. Next add your artichoke hearts (cut in halves) and continue to saute for about 2 minutes. Add about 2 tablespoons of butter and when melted, douse it all with a cup of that wonderful Marsalla wine. Bring to a boil, stir, and then turn heat down to medium low and allow to reduce by a third. You can add the parsley as well (about 1/4 cup chopped). When sauce has reduced, add a bit more butter, salt and pepper and reduce to low, cover.

Your third ingredient, asparagus are now ready for their steam bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and either steam them for about 4 minutes or boil them for about 3. Remove from heat and partly cover. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.

When roast is complete, remove from oven and allow roast to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes. Pour a bit of the pan drippings into the pan with the artichokes and stir. Once roast has rested, cut thin slices about 1/4 inches thick. Everything is now ready to be put together!

Make sure your dinner plates are nice and warm before plating. Begin by setting one pastry disk in the center of the plate. Now add one or two thin slices of pork, then 2 artichoke heart halves along with a bit of the sauce and shallots. Place another pastry disk over that and repeat the process. Place 3 large asparagus in triangular form around the dish and finish by spooning just the sauce around the plate.

What you have done is come up with a creation that used 3 simple main ingredients and with small accessories, created an incredible version of napoleon that will wow your guests. But wait until they get their first taste! The flavors are most delicious; you have to taste it to understand. And this idea came simply from the thought of a dessert. Who would have known? The next time you experience "cooking block", just let your imagination run wild and step out of the box for your ideas. You'll be amazed as to what you can come up with.

Pork Tenderloin Wellington, a reasonable alternative...

Many of you have most likely heard of Beef Wellington; however, how about getting Pork in on the action? Presenting Pork Wellington, with all the elegance and savoriness of its richer cousin, but at a fraction of the cost. This dish has not been costed, but it easily comes in a less than $25.00 for 6 servings. Consider Pork tenderloin at $5.00 per pound vs. Beef tenderloin at $25.00 per pound! The rest of the ingredients are much the same cost for each. And presentation is no less impressive to your guests! If you've got a bit of time, try this. It's well worth it. Without further ado, let's get started.

2   1.5 lb Pork Tenderloins
2   Puff pastry sheets
8   Slices of Prosciutto Ham (or Serrano), sliced thin
1   Egg (for your egg wash)

The filling:

12 medium sized white mushrooms, finely chopped
1 oz. of Foie Gras (you can also use a non coarse smooth pate)
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons of fine toasted bread crumbs
1/4 cup of parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper
salt
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 tablespoon of Brandy (pref. Apple)
4 tablespoons of olive oil

What is important when preparing a dish that calls for envelopment in a pastry shell is to semi cook the meat you will use, followed by a cooling period so that juices are set and will not run during the final stage of baking. With that in mind, let's prepare the pork tenderloin.

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 (180c). Remove your tenderloin roasts from the package and cut about 4 inches off the tapered end of each roast. Save those ends, as we will use them in a future recipe. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Make sure your skillet is not so big that it won't fit in the oven. Pat dry the meat so that it won't splatter while cooking. Lightly salt and pepper all sides, then brown for about 5 minutes total. Remove pan from heat and transfer to the oven. Lay a sheet of foil over the pan so meat doesn't splatter in the oven. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Following that, remove from oven and pan, set meat in a dish and allow to completely cool, which should take an hour or so. Do not place in your fridge as this should cool to room temperature. Do not discard the pan drippings, as you will use this for your filling.

While meat is cooling, you should now prepare the filling that will go around your roasts. Make sure all your prep work is completed as per the list above. Pour any excess pan drippings from the pan you cooked the pork into a bowl and set aside. Now add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for a minute or so, stirring with a wooden spatula. Next, add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the mushrooms and stir.

Continue to cook, adding a bit more olive oil if needed. Turn heat down slightly if you need to at this point. Saute for another couple of minutes and then add the wine and Brandy, along with the bread crumbs. Stir well so that bottom of pan is well deglazed. If you find you need to, add a few tablespoons of water. Finally, add the pan drippings you had set aside and stir well so everything is completely mixed. Transfer to a food processor.

In the food processor, add the Foie Gras, 2 pinches of salt, cracked pepper, Dijon, parsley, Worcestershire Sauce, and pulse mix until a rough paste has been achieved. Taste for proper seasoning, adding a bit more salt if you need. You should need to add anything more to this, as it should be perfectly seasoned. Remember, the slices of ham will add salt to your dish, so be careful. Set aside and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

While cooling, you can now prepare your slices of ham. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and lay it out on a cutting board. Next, lay out 4 slices of ham onto the board lengthwise, allowing the slices to overlap approximately 1/2 inch. Using half of your paste mixture, use a frosting spatula and spread it evenly over the ham. It should spread very nicely. Now add one of the cooled pork roasts on one end and carefully begin to roll it, using the end of the plastic wrap to push the roast along. It goes without saying at this time to be sure NOT to roll the plastic wrap into the roast... LOL. When completely rolled, the roast should be covered with the plastic. Holding each end of the plastic wrap firmly, roll the roast along the cutting board so that it seals it completely. Repeat the whole process with the second roast. Once done, transfer to your fridge and allow to set for about an hour or two.

While meat is in the fridge, remove the puff pastry sheets from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature. This should take about 2 hours. Once pastry is thawed, remove meat from the fridge and allow 30 minutes to warm to room temperature. Lightly brush your cutting board with a tablespoon of flour and lay out your first pastry sheet. Carefully stretch out the sheet with your hands and fingers. Don't use a rolling pin please, it's not needed. Simply stretch the sheet out an inch on all sides, that's all.

Preheat your oven to 425. Remove the plastic wrap from the first roast and place in the middle of the pastry sheet. Lightly brush some of the egg wash around the ends of the sheet and then fold the end closest to you over the roast. Roll the roast until it reaches the other end. Fold the left and right ends in, making sure all the seams and well sealed, using additional egg wash if needed. Set in a non stick baking pan, seam side down. Brush the top and sides with egg wash and with a sharp knife, make several slits on the top to allow steam to escape. Repeat this process for the second roast. Then set the second roast along side the other, making sure they are at least 1 inch apart.

Transfer dish to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden medium brown. Remove from oven and allow to set for about 15 minutes before serving. You may use the pan drippings to make a nice green peppercorn sauce, using a bit of olive oil and butter, a few tablespoons of Port wine, salt and pepper. It's your choice. I have found it very simple to just purchase a package of the Knorr Green Peppercorn Sauce mix and be done with it. This dish marries perfectly with a side of baby French green beans and a small serving of potatoes puree. Just remember however, the starch is in the pastry shell, so don't overdo it. Enjoy this preparation, it's absolutely mouth watering. Yes, it is a bit involved and takes time to prepare; however, there is nothing complicated that should keep you from attempting it. You won't regret it and neither will your dinner guests. This preparation will serve 4 to 6 .

Stuffed Tenderloin of Pork with crab presents flavors you'll never forget

Here's another twist on Pork Tenderloin. Open this baby up and stuff it with fresh Dungeness crab. You will be amazed as to how well the flavors go hand in hand. Let's not waste time and get our ingredients together. This recipe is not difficult to prepare so don't be intimidated whastsoever.

1 Tenderloin of Pork (about 1.5 lbs)
1/4 lb of fresh Dungeness Crab
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons of butter, room temperature
1/4 cup of capers
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup of roasted bread crumbs
1/4 cup of grated Gruyere or Parm cheese
salt and pepper (as we go along)
Cooking string
1/4 cup of cream
1/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Let's first start by preparing our crab stuffing. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Saute the garlic and shallots for a few minutes. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper and stir in the bread crumbs. Finally, add the water, stir so that everything is well blended, and transfer all to a small mixing bowl.

In the mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix very well until a nice paste is formed. Add 1/2 of the capers, the parsley, and stir thoroughly. Now add the cheese and crab and stir gently so as not to break down the crab too much. You want to be able to have some chunks of crab stay whole. Set the mixture aside and prepare your tenderloin for stuffing.

Begin by cutting 6 pieces of cooking string, each about 10 inches long. Now, lay your tenderloin on a cutting board and using a sharp knife make a cut down the center of the entire length but don't cut all the way through. Leave about 1/4 inch between the knife and the cutting board. You'll now have 2 halves that are still connected at the bottom. About 1/4 inch from the bottom, cut into the meat down the entire length on each half, making sure not to cut all the way through the side. You got me so far? Your knife should be cutting horizontally. Now you have 4 quarters, still connected together. Do this one more time and open your tenderloin so that it becomes a flat sheet of meat. You may at this time use a mallet and very gently pound it so that it has a smooth surface.

You are now ready to stuff your roast. Start by sprinkling salt and pepper on the meat. Next, using a soup spoon, place your stuffing in a line down the length of the center of the meat, leaving about an inch on each end bare. Take those two ends and fold them in like you would a burrito and fold the length of the meat together so that one side overlaps the other. Now begin to tie your roast up by sliding each string under the meat and tying each string to keep the roast from opening up. You don't need to tie it too tight, just enough to keep it from splitting apart and having the stuffing squeeze out.

Set your oven to 400 (200c). Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. When oil just begins to smoke, add the roast carefully and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side to nicely brown the meat. Transfer the pan into the oven and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, set the roast on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. REMEMBER THE HANDLE WILL BE EXTREMELY NOT, so use mitts. While resting, heat up the pan drippings and add the remaining capers and the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, salt and pepper to taste, then shut heat off.

Carve your roast into 1 1/2 inch slices and pour a bit of the sauce over each slice. You may serve this with steamed rice, baby white potatoes, or your favorite green vegetable. Add a bit of the sauce over your side dish as well. Enjoy. This whole dish from start to finish does not take more than an hour to prepare so don't fear that you'll be stuck in the kitchen (although your guests will think so). You will love the flavors !!!

Pork Tenderloin with a Fig wine reduction sauce... mouth watering yet?

A nice Pork Tenderloin done right will always give beef a run for its money. Moist, succulent, and so tender, this cut of pork will satisfy even the most discriminating of food critics. At 1/3 the price of Beef Tenderloin these days, your wallet will be a much nicer place to visit.

I recently, well it was about a year ago, started playing with figs in my recipes. Last year, I prepared a wonderful set of Lamb Shanks, braised in a wine sauce with fig halves. Served for a couple of close friends during lunch, the dish was a total hit. I had never cooked with figs before and wondered why it had taken so long to rediscover them. The last time I had any figs was as a child, eating them right off the plant while still green. I know it's unusual for a 10 year old to take a liking to such an exotic fruit. I just wonder why I lost touch with them for so long. Oh well, it's better late than never.

Anyway, I digress. This week I decided to try figs with pork. I chose the tenderloin cut since I consider figs a luxurious and exotic fruit and the two would be very happy together in a pan... LOL. I was right. This dish turned out so incredibly good that I want to live next to an orchard so as to have an endless supply of them. So easy to prepare and yet so "gourmet" in appearance and flavor, you will certainly want to try it out on your loved one. Tonight, mine happened to have been my Mom. Whoever your loved one is, be sure to serve this dish under candle light because, well, just because. Without further dissertation, here is what you will need:

1 Tenderloin of Pork, about 1 1/2 lbs.
5 medium fresh Figs, sliced in halves
1 1/4 cup of red wine
1 teaspoon of fresh minced Tarragon
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
2 teaspoons of minced fresh parsley
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste and for the meat (keep shakers handy)

Start by gathering all your ingredients together and as usual, make sure everything is minced, measured, and chopped. I can't say enough how prep work makes cooking so easy!

Pat your tenderloin with a paper towel so that it's dry and has no excess moisture. This will make your meat brown much nicer. Now cut it in two halves, salt and pepper it liberally and set aside for a minute. Preheat your oven to 400 (200c).

In a medium size oven safe pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until the oil smokes, usually a few minutes. You want your pan and oil hot to get a nice browning crust around the meat. Now saute each Pork Tenderloin half approximately 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Cut one of the tablespoons of butter in half and place on top of each piece of meat after you have sauteed for the 5 minute period. Place the pan in the oven uncovered and let cook for approximately 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, set oven to broil and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. USING OVEN MITTS, remove the pan and place it on the stove top burner you were using and transfer the tenderloin to a plate, placing a foil wrap loosely over it to stay warm.

Turn stove top burner to medium high and saute the shallots and garlic in the same pan with the pan drippings for about 5 minutes. Next, add the wine and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze it. Once boiling begins, reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook uncovered for about 10 minutes to burn the alcohol out and to reduce the liquid by half. Now add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the sauce and stir until completely melted. The sauce should begin to thicken a bit.

Continuing to cook, reduce heat to low and add the tomato paste and stir so paste is well blended into the sauce. Add the tarragon, Worcestershire sauce, and  salt and pepper to taste and add the figs. Cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the figs over to coat them completely. Turn off heat, stir in the parsley,  and let pan set. While sauce is setting, take your tenderloin and slice 1/2 inch thick slices. Place a small spoonful of the sauce in the middle of each dinner plate and then place 3 slices per person. Finish by placing a fig half on top and a couple on the side of each meat serving and drizle some sauce over the meat.

As a side dish, you notice that wedges of Russet potatoes were used. This was simple to prepare. Use 3 small Russet potatoes and peel them. Cut them in half and cut each half in thirds. About one minute before you place your pan in the oven, add the potatoes around the Pork Tenderloin and allow to saute a bit. Then do as instructed above and place the pan in a 400 degree oven.

This truly is a wonderful dinner, full of savory flavors. The potatoes will be perfectly cooked, just lightly browned and puffy. The tenderloin is absolutely moist and cooked to just below medium with a very light pink in the center, perfect doneness for this cut of meat. Enjoy and let me know what you think !

Why is it called Rattlesnake Penne Pasta?

Well, Rattlesnake Penne Pasta doesn't really have rattlesnake meat in it. It's just a name, but then you all knew that anyway. This dish is always a favorite on restaurant menus and now it can be a favorite dish in the comfort of your dining room. Although it looks complex and full of ingredients, it is quite simple to make, but be forewarned, you had better make enough of it because seconds and thirds are a definite probability with this dish. The quantities mentioned here should suffice for a dinner of four.

1 16 oz box of dry Penne pasta noodles
2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds of Mexican or Italian sausage, cut in 1/2 inch thick slices
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 large white onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 button mushrooms (brown or white), sliced
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (for heat)
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of flour (sifted)
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of chicken stock
2 cups of shredded Gruyere or aged Swiss cheese

In a large skillet that is at least 3 inches deep (or you can use a large pot), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute for about 5 minutes until slightly browned. Remove the sausage and set aside.

Next, saute the chicken until it begins to brown. Remove and set aside with the sausage. In the same pan, add the onions and the bell peppers. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes or so and then add the garlic. Lower heat to medium low and sprinkle the flour to cover the onions. Stir well for about a minute and then add the chicken stock. The stock should begin to thicken pretty fast. Be sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. This will add flavor to your dish.

Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, along with the pepper flakes and stir well, lowering heat to low. Now add the cream and stirring, blend everything well. Add half of the shredded cheese and stir so that it melts into the sauce. Your sauce should now be a nice thick and creamy texture. Taste for flavor.

In a large pot, bring enough water to a boil to cook the pasta. Add a bit of salt (1 teaspoon) to the water. Cook pasta until it is al dente. It will continue to cook a bit more when you transfer it to the sauce. While the pasta is cooking, add the sausage and chicken back to your pan and stir everything well so that all is incorporated into the sauce. Cover and continue to cook on low or simmer while pasta continues to cook.

After about 8 minutes or so, the pasta should be about ready. Test it for the proper texture. Remove the pasta with a slotted spoon and add it to the sauce and stir everything well. If you need to, add a tiny bit of the pasta water to your dish and stir. Finally, add half of the parsley and stir, cover the pan, and let simmer for a couple of minutes.

Serve on a large deep plate and sprinkle the remainder of the parsley and cheese. This dish is guaranteed to please everyone! You can finish it off with a crisp greens in a simple olive oil vinegrette and a nice bottle of white wine of your choice. Enjoy!

Ground Pork and Chicken Gizzard Terrine gives one an inexpensive way to gourmet

Served hot or chilled with a spicy Dijon mustard, this pork and chicken terrine screams gourmet on a dime. If you can believe it, this two pound terrine cost less than $4.00 (EUR 3.00) to make and will serve as a first course for a dinner party of 8.

When grocery shopping, check out the "reduced" price section of your meat department. You'll be amazed as to some of the treasures you will find there. Don't be too proud to dig in and find yourself good quality cuts of pork, beef, chicken, and lamb. I'd stay away from the fish, however. This terrine was made with a one pound package of ground pork reduced to $1.28 (EUR 0.92) and a one pound package of fresh chicken gizzards reduced to $1.15 (EUR 0.85). Ground both up nicely, add great herbs and spices, throw it in the oven and voila, a dish created to satisfy the pickiest of snobby guests. And you don't even have to tell them what it cost. Let's create this all over again. Here's what we need:

1 lb ground pork
1 lb chicken gizzards
2 oz. of Brandy
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of capers
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Spanish Paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil

Using a food processor, process the gizzards until they are medium ground (medium ground means you still leave some small chunks). Add the shallots and grind just a few seconds longer.

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and saute the gizzards and shallots for a few minutes and then add the brandy, stir and lower heat to medium low. Cook for about two more minutes but no more. Set aside and let cool. Preheat your oven to 400.

In a large bowl, add all the other ingredients and mix together well. Now add the gizzards and continue to mix until everything is well incorporated. Now transfer mixture to a well greased meat loaf dish. Take a strip of aluminum foil and cover the surface of the mixture and pat it down. You want to just cover the surface and not have the foil over the pan. Place in the oven and reduce heat to 325 and bake for 1 hour 40 minutes.

Remove from oven when finished and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Now you can choose to either serve it hot or put it in the fridge and allow to chill. It's your choice, but no matter which you choose, it's delicious. If you want to chill it, you can take the juices from the pan, add a couple tablespoons of chicken stock (or water) and bit of gelatin powder and bring to a boil. Place the loaf back in the dish and pour the gelatin mixture back in and chill it. Cover it with plastic wrap so flavors stay pure.

If served chilled, serve with cornichons (baby pickles) and a bit of Dijon mustard, perhaps a small tossed salad of baby greens. Enjoy.

Perhaps the best Braised Pork Ribs you'll ever have..

From the beginning, this blog site has stressed the importance of simplicity in the kitchen no matter what you do. With that said, it has also been understood that visual appeal and savory flavor should never be sacrificed in the process. It is the intent of this blog to adhere to those principles and to never let you, the reader, down without exception. Whether the recipes call for 30 minutes time or 3 hours, you will never be asked to accomplish anything that is beyond the scope of your capabilities. The end result is to expand the possibilities of what can be created in the kitchen and as a result, make us all better nonchefs.

What you are about to learn in this next creation takes simplicity, appeal, and flavor into consideration. This is one of my signature dishes, according to those that have enjoyed it in the past. My Braised Pork Spareribs are the most savory and moist ribs you will probably ever taste, providing you follow my directions, which I assume you will. This recipe has always been a hit at the dinner table and the responses I get have been that my ribs are the best anyone has tasted. Before I get carried away, I will stop with the self promotion; however, I think you get the idea.

Let’s start with the ingredients:

3 lbs. of your favorite cut of pork ribs
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
12 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
2 large roasted red peppers sliced in ½ inch widths (or buy a jar of them)
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 ½ cups of chicken stock
1 small can of tomato paste
4 tablespoons of plain BBQ sauce (smoked)
1 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of coarse ground pepper
½ teaspoon of smoked sweet paprika
1 teaspoon of dried basil
½ teaspoon of thyme
1/3 cup of olive oil

As it is always the case, please do all your prep work before you start cooking. By doing this, you won’t forget anything, accidentally overcook something because you were busy chopping, or simply get frazzled. Trust me, I’ve done it the other way and things always go wrong. So do your slicing and chopping now.

Cooking this dish is a two stage cooking process. First, you’re going to sauté and brown the meat, and then you are going to slow cook it in the oven. If you have a large oval shaped Dutch oven, you will want to use that. Otherwise, just get the largest frying pan you have. If you can avoid slicing up the pork rib rack into sections, that would be great. Otherwise, go ahead and cut it in 2 halves and brown each separately. Start by preheating the oven to 350. Next, get your pan of choice and heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle the meat side of the ribs with  some of the pepper, and the regular salt. Sauté your meat for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until browned. When browned, pour ¼ cup of the chicken stock over the ribs and deglaze the pan or your Dutch oven. If you’re using the Dutch oven, cover with the lid and place it in the oven. If you didn’t have one and used a frying pan, transfer the ribs and the liquid to a large and deep baking pan (lasagna pan works good), cover tightly with foil, and place it in the oven.

While the ribs are in the oven, get a large frying pan and heat the rest of the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and garlic for about a minute, then add the onion, and continue to sauté until the onions become translucent and begin to brown. Next, add the carrots and stir occasionally. Continue to sauté for a few more minutes and add the remaining chicken stock and the paprika, as well as the basil and thyme. Reduce heat to low and add the tomato paste and bbq sauce and stir well so that everything is well blended together. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper if needed. Finally, add the sliced roasted red peppers and allow the sauce to begin to bubble. Transfer the sauce to the pot with the ribs, making sure that all the ribs are well covered. Recover pot tightly and continue to bake for 60 minutes at 325. Be very careful to use oven proof mitts or pot holders, as the Dutch oven lid and sides is extremely hot.

When done, remove the pot from the oven and let sit covered for about 5 to 10 minutes. Get your serving platter ready. Remove the ribs first and set on the platter. Since the pork most likely sweat out a lot of oils, to reduce the calories and fat content, you will want to put your sauce through a strainer to get rid of excess oil. Once done, spoon the sauce over the ribs or around the ribs, it’s your choice. Serve with steamed rice or wonderful boiled new potatoes. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over the ribs as garnish. You are going to find that the meat simply falls off the bone, it’s so tender and moist. I will let you discover the incredible flavor for yourself, but as a hint, I had this for dinner Saturday evening and I’m still smacking my lips. Enjoy it to the bone!

Chicken and Pork Marsala provides another 40 minute meal

It's amazing what you can do in less than an hour that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Who doesn't like chicken and pork? And the fingerling potatoes add the perfect finish to this very easy, yet elegant dish for two. So get your favorite loved one ready, have him set the table while you prepare your next dinner hit. This one is sure to please and leaving you wanting more. Oh yes, there will be enough to share seconds.

Ingredients

1/2 lb of pork loin, cut in 1 x 2 inch pieces
3/4 lbs. of chicken breast or boneless thighs, cut in 1 x 2 inch pieces
1 Italien or pork sausage cut in 1/2 inch slices
16 button mushrooms, stems off, left whole
1 medium yellow onion
1 medium shallot, minced
10 cloves of garlic, whole
3/4 lbs. of small fingerling potatoes
1 1/2 cups of Marsala wine (sweet)
5 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (or to your liking)
1/2 cup of water

In a 10 inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Saute the meat together until light brown or about 4 minutes or so. Remove the meat and set aside. Now add the mushrooms top down and saute on each side for 1 minute each. Remove and set aside.

If you need to add a little more oil go ahead, but chances are you won't need to. Now saute the onions, garlic, and shallots, reducing heat to medium. Add the potatoes and  saute for about 4 minutes. Now pour the Marsala wine in and deglaze the pan. You should begin to see a nice light rustic brown sauce in the making. Once deglazed, add the water a little at a time, and add the salt and pepper. Cover, lower heat to low to medium low, and cook for about 12 to 14 minutes. Add the meat back into the pan, cover, and cook for another 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook a final 2 minutes.

Serve in a deeper dish so that you can enjoy the sauce. Sprinkle with a bit of parsley and enjoy this oh so easy entree that truly takes less than an hour to make from prep to plate. And you won't believe the sauce! It's so deliciously rich that you will want to have a spoon ready to scoop every last drop.

Cooking for one can be a pleasant experience...

So you have the day off and the house to yourself, decided to sleep in and save the chores for another day, and the calendar has been cleared of appointments and commitments. This is your selfish day, shared with no one else but you and self indulgence. Afterall, you've earned and deserve it. As lunch approaches, you pop in your favorite CD, crank up the volume, and watch the rest of the world go by from your window as the late morning sun fills your space with the  brightness and warmth that Winter all too often tries to make scarce.

On days like this, be creative and prepare lunch for one. Today, you're not going to fight the traffic, stand in long lines at your favorite restaurant, or be disappointed that you didn't get a window seat. You already have the best seat in the house and the lunch you are about to prepare won't be found on any menu but your own. You are about to enjoy an open face pork loin sandwich with a lemon Dijon sauce, and as an option, a side of Frisee drizzled with olive oil. A simple dish, yet full of contrasting flavors of tart and sweet, this will certainly pamper your taste buds. Let's start with the ingredients.

1 4 oz. pork loin steak (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 thick slice of rye bread or country white bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/2 crispy apple, peeled and chopped
1 small celery stalk, finely sliced
2 tablespoons of pimientos
2 green onions (scallions), sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper

For the sauce:

Juice from 1/2 squeezed lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of tomato paste
5 to 6 large capers

Make sure you have done your prep work, chopping, slicing, and getting your ingredients together before you start. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute your pork loin, turning it over each minute until done. It is ok to leave a little pink in the loin, but it is your choice. Once cooked to your liking, remove the pork and set aside with foil covering it. At this time, toast your slice of bread and set aside.

In the same saute pan, remove any excess oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, apple, pimientos, and green onion, and saute for about 90 seconds. Salt and pepper to taste and remove pan from heat.

Prepare your sauce by adding all the ingredients, except the oil, and mix well. While mixing, slowly add the olive oil and continue to stir briskly until mixture is smooth and velvety. Add the capers, gently stir, and set aside.

Place your pork loin over the toasted bread and with a sharp knife, cut around the pork so that the toast will be the exact size and shape as the meat. Now you are ready to assemble your sandwich. Start by setting the toast on your plate. Next, with a soup spoon, add the mixture from the saute pan to the toast, covering the toast to about 1/2 inch high. Now add the pork loin on top. Finally, drizzle your sauce over the pork, allowing it to drip down the sides. You may serve this with a Frisee type of lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Enjoy your gourmet lunch and continue your day as your started, with an afternoon nap and soft background music.

Pork cuts costs while maintaining elegance for the holidays

The holidays can be very stressful these days with the economy still badly injured and financial institutions  in a very wobbly state. Jobs are scarce and those still employed wonder if they'll be next on the chopping block. Families continue striving to stretch their dollars while maintaing their quality of life as best they can. Nowhere is that more apparent than with the food budget. The shopper continues to walk a tight rope in making sure that the holiday dinner will be as bountiful and special as in years past.

Prime Rib is too expensive, goose is out of the question, and turkey was too recent. What is the cook to do? How about distancing yourself from tradition and trying the other white meat? Pork can make an impressive centerpiece as an entree with a cut of Roast of Pork Rib Loin, inexpensive and yet so elegant as to make Prime Rib of Beef a bit jealous. The rib roast can be prepared as a "rack" roast or kicking it up a notch, combining two racks and creating a Crown Roast of Pork that will wow even your most discerning of guests. With a Crown Roast, one can fill the center with a melange of sauteed peas, pearl onions, and bacon (or lardon).

So as in keeing with the goal of maintaining simplicity in the kitchen, today you will learn to prepare the rack version of the Roast of Pork Rib Loin. When deciding how large a roast to purchase, count on one rib for the ladies and children, and two ribs for the men and hungrier guests. If you need to purchase two racks but don't want to do a crown, when ready to present, you can stand each rack on its "bottom" and have each rack lean on one another with the ribs crisscrossing each other.

First, start by preheating the oven at 400. You are going to want to sear your roast on all sides so as to lock in moisture and flavor; however, first prepare a rub that you will use before baking, with the following ingredients:

1/3 cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 soup spoon of coarsely cracked ground pepper
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce

Mix 1/4 cup of the olive oil and all other ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Take the remainder of the olive oil and heat it in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, begin to sear the roast, reducing heat to medium. Sear on each side and ends about 2 minutes each. Once seared, remove roast and set in baking pan.  Do not discard the pan drippings as you will use that for your sauce. While it is cooling a bit, mixt the ingredients together very well. With a brush, coast the entire roast thoroughly. Transfer roast to oven, reduce heat to 350 and bake for 70 minutes for a 3 pound roast. If you are baking 2 racks side by side, you don't really need to increase the time too much because the thickness and size of each doesn't change; however, with that said, you may want to increase the time by 2 minutes per total weight to compensate for the volume. Play it by ear and 10 minutes before finished, using your fingers, push into the meat. If it doesn't sink in, it's done. Remember, pork has to be cooked closer to well done than to rare or medium rare. Medium well will usually be fine. If your oven heats hot, then decrease the times by 2 minutes per pound.

Once the roast is finished, remove and set aside so that juices set in. While roast is resting, return the frying pan with the drippings to the stove top over medium high heat. Add any juices that may remain from the baking pan to the frying pan. Deglaze the frying pan with 1 cup of dry white wine or non alcoholic apple cider, carefully scraping the bottom with a spatula. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to reduce about 1/3. Next, add the following ingredients,

1 tablespoon of butter,
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of heavy cream

Stir all ingredients very well and allow butter to completely melt. Taste for flavor. If you would like to add a little tanginess to your sauce, stir in a small teaspoon of Dijon mustard at the last minute and shut off heat. You may pour this sauce directly over the roast or ladle a couple of tablespoons over each serving. Just be sure to keep the sauce very hot.

There you have it, an alternative to tradition. It is a safe bet that your dinner guests will love this roast and will not miss the Prime Rib or the turkey at all. A baked potato or shoe string frites(fries) would work very well with this cut of meat, as would French cut green beans, steamed brussel sprouts, or sauteed peas and bacon in the vegetable side dish category. A chilled Riesling will pair very nicely. Have a wonderful holiday dinner party and remember, keep it simple in the kitchen and elegant in the dining room.

Roulade of Pork Loin... Easier to make than to pronounce!

OK, so here's another French word that you can now add to your vocabulary. Roulade sounds like a complicated process that only the well cured chefs can create in a fancy and well equipped commercial kitchen. Wrong! Roulade is as easy as it gets when it comes to making fancy stuff. From the French word rouler, means to roll like a rolling of kitchen paper towels. You take a thick cut of meat, whether it be beef, pork, chicken, or fish, and cut it open, thus rolling it out. Fill it with a filling of various ingredients, and then roll it back shut to its original shape, then tie it with kitchen twine. That's it, all that is need to know. Do you think I would have brought a procedure into this blog that required a science degree to accomplish, thus compromising my theme of simplicity? Not on your life.

Today, I will show you how to prepare a roulade of pork, albeit with a twist. Once filled, we will not roll it up, but put it back together just as we found it. This preparation comes in two parts. The first part is creating the filling for this pork roast. The second part will consist of preparing the roast with the filling and then baking it. This recipe has an Asian flair in addition to the French, as I have included some Asian ingredients for the filling. Here is what we need:

2 lb. Top Loin Pork Roast, boneless
3/4 cup of Marsala Wine (sweet version)
1/4 cup of water
3/4 cup of bread crumbs, finely processed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
4 medium brown mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
2 teaspoons of ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon of pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
Butcher's cotton twine (or kitchen twine)

Let's make the filling to start with, that way we can allow it to cool a bit before we add it to our roast. Prepare all your vegetables and spices, slicing, dicing, cutting, and measuring. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and pepper flakes, reducing heat to medium. Next, add the chopped mushrooms and saute for another minute or so. Now add the bread crumbs and stir well so everything is well mixed, taking about 30 seconds to do so. Add the wine and reduce heat to low. If you need to, add the water and stir. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.

Add to your mixing bowl, the parsley, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of ginger paste, black pepper, and garlic paste, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Begin using the spoon to make a ball with the mixture as illustrated. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 400. Now let's get a sauce ready so that we can brush on the meat later. Combine 1 tablespoon of ginger paste, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix well to form a paste. Add 1 tablespoon of water to dilute the paste a bit. Set it aside.

Next, we will get our roast ready. With the fat side down, begin to slice down the center of the roast lengthwise. Slice down until about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Do not slice all the way through! Now spread the roast open and on each half, make two slits evenly apart, slicing down to within 1/2 inch of the bottom. Do this for the left and right sides. You should now be able to flatten your roast open.

Take your ball of filling and slice into 5 equal parts. Proceed to to fill each cavity of the roast, careful to not fill completely to the edge, that way, when you close it up, it won't squeeze out of each end. Once you have filled the cavities, gently put your roast back together again. Realize that since you've added "stuffing", the roast will be fatter around. Take kitchen twine (cotton) and cut 5 or 6 even length pieces long enough to go around the roast. At this point, there is a professional way of twining a roast with one single string; however, I always have problems with that, so I find it easier to just cut separate pieces. Begin by tying the ends about an inch in from each end. Be careful to not tie it too tight around so as not to squeeze the filling out. But be sure it will securely keep the roast closed up. Now that you 've done each end, tie the remaining strings around the roast, evenly apart, like the illustration. Once your roast is all tied up, cut any excess string and turn your roast over, cut side down.

In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Sear your roast, turning it 1/4 turn about every 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven on the middle rack and reduce heat to 350. Bake for 1 hour for a 2 pound roast. About 15 minutes before completion, brush your basting mixture to cover the outside of the roast. Continue to bake for 15 more minutes. Your roast should be done to medium. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Cut strings off and with a sharp knife, slice even slices and set on a serving platter. Enjoy this roast. It should still be moist and succulent, full of flavors, with the hints of sesame and ginger. I would serve this with the Asian Sesame Noodle Salad that I posted earlier.

Meat Loaf En Croute - You've never had it this way!

Bonjour! The weather is changing and evenings are cooling off. You come home from work soaked from the cold Autumn rain. Yes, it is that season again when warm and hearty dinners become the desire. Beef stews, split pea soups, and hearty pasta dishes are once again at the top of the food chain. Oh, but wait! I forgot the meat loaf. Yes, meat loaf is definitely right up there with all the other wonderful Autumn and Winter dishes; however, once you have prepared my version of this dish, you will want to have it throughout all the seasons.

"En croute" is French for "wrapped in pastry". Hence, Meat Loaf en Croute is meat loaf wrapped in pastry. I had this for dinner late last week and it was a hit. The combination of savory meats, onions, and cheese wrapped in a light and flaky pastry crust is just too delicious to describe. You'll just have to make it and try it for yourself. It presents itself very elegantly at the dinner table and the great thing about this dish is its simplicity to make; you've already prepared the meat before, if you tried my stuffed peppers in a previous post. The recipe for the meat is the same, well almost. So let's get started and gather our ingredients:

1 Puff pastry sheet
1/2 pound of ground beef (20% fat)
1/2 pound of plain ground pork (do not use pork saussage or Italian or anything like that)
1/2 cup of either Panko or plain bread crumbs
1/2 white or yellow onion, minced (food processor works great)
1 medium red tomato, chopped finely
4 garlic cloves, minced (you can put them in the processor along with the onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 whole egg
1/2 cup of finely grated Swiss, Gruyere, or Parm.
2 tablespoon of flour
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons of Tomato Paste
4 pinches of salt
4 pinches of pepper

Remove pastry sheet from the freezer a good couple of hours beforehand. Take and prepare all your ingredients. If you have a smaller food processor, it will work well to mince your onions and garlic. Otherwise, just used a sharp bladed knife. In a large bowl, add the meat, bread crumbs, onion, tomato, garlic, parsley, egg,  tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and using your hands, mix very well until those ingredients are incorporated. Now add half of the cheese and half of the flour, and mix well until ingredients have been well mixed with the meats. Form into a ball.

Take the remaining flour and spread it over a cutting board and begin to roll the meat out into a cylinder shape 2 1/2 inches in diameter by 10 inches in length. Make sure that when you roll it out that the meat captures as much of the flour so that the loaf has a thin coat of it all around. Set aside carefully.

In a 10 inch frying pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the meat carefully and saute, turning it on all sides until it is well browned and has some caramelization on the surface. I have found that if you turn it a quarter turn every 3 minutes, that tends to work fine. Touching it, there should be a nice semi hard surface and it should have a little give. Remember, 90 percent of the cooking is in your pan. The oven will simply heat it back up and finish the remaining 10 percent cooking. You just want to make sure that it's not going to be dried out. When finished, remove the loaf and set it on a plate and allow to cool.

After meat has cooled, preheat your oven to 425 and  prepare your pastry sheet. Make sure your cutting board is completely clean and dry. Sprinkle flour to cover board surface and also rub flour on your rolling pin. Set the pastry sheet on the board and unfold it carefully. Begin to roll out the sheet, rolling in a single direction. Now if my memory of Geometry still serves me and your meat loaf was the dimensions I specified, you will need to roll out a rectangle of 13 inches by 7.97 inches.... so just round it off to 8 inches wide, ok? Just make sure you don't roll it too thin.

Finally, spread the remaining grated cheese down the length of the sheet, leaving an inch on the borders for your egg wash. You may sprinkle some parsley if you desire. Brush an egg wash (egg and teaspoon of water mix) on all the edges. Take the meat and set it on the pastry sheet lengthwise and carefully begin to roll the pastry while roling the loaf. Once completely rolled, pinch the ends and secure the seam. You can use a fork if you wish, leaving an imprint up and down the seam. Turn the loaf so that the seam is at the bottom. With a sharp knife, make 1 inch slits diagonally, about 1 to 2 inches apart. Brush some of the remaining egg wash over the pastry.  Place on a non stick cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and is a nice golden color. Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

When serving, slice along the slits that you made, that way the pastry won't break up and you will have nice long diagonal slices. Nice corkscrew macaroni lightly tossed in a tablespoon of tomato paste, olive oil, and grated parm works wonderfully. Finish off with a salad of mixed greens. No need for bread or slice of cheese because you already have both in your Meat Loaf en Croute. Try a nice Pinot with this dish. Bon Appetit !

Who Doesn't Like Stuffed Peppers? Well, You Will Now !

Stuffed Peppers is one of those menu items that is so easy to make and yet when properly presented on a plate, so elegant to serve. Remember when I told you all how we do a lot of our eating with our eyes? This is one of those moments. There is one thing to be aware of, however. Because we want to make sure the peppers are nicely cooked, many tend to overbake and thereby drying out the stuffing, whether it be meat or grain. I will explain how to overcome this so that your Stuffed Peppers will always be moist and flavorful.

Let's talk about preparing the peppers first. I know that "parboil" is a word that everybody knows; however, with the exception of bread products, I don't think "parbaking" is known for preparing of vegetables. If anyone out there knows otherwise, please email me and let me know. I'm not too old to still be learning. So, with that in mind, you will need 6 medium sized red and/or yellow peppers (nice oval shaped). Preheat your oven to 400. Place peppers on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning  them over at 10 minutes. Remove them and set aside to cool. Reduce your oven temp to 350.

Now that you have "parbaked" your peppers, while they are cooling, let's get the rest of the ingredients together and do our prep work. Are you ready?  Let's do it then:

1/2 pound of ground beef (20% fat)
1/2 pound of plain ground pork (do not use pork saussage or Italian or anything like that)
1/2 cup of either Panko or plain bread crumbs
1/2 white or yellow onion, minced (food processor works great)
1 medium red tomato, chopped finely
4 garlic cloves, minced (you can put them in the processor along with the onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 whole egg
1/4 cup of finely grated Swiss, Gruyere, or Parm.
1 tablespoon of flour
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons of Tomato Paste
4 pinches of salt
4 pinches of pepper

I want to pause here to let you know the amount of salt used is one's personal preference; therefore, you might want more or less than 4 pinches of it for your taste. OK, put all the ingredients into a large bowl, starting with the meat at the bottom. We now want to mix all of this together and I have found the best utensil for doing this are my hands. Dig in, let's get dirty and use your hands to thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Once you've played long enough with your food, go wash your hands.

Now that the peppers have cooled, take a very sharp knife and carefully cut each one in half with the cut being somewhat diagonal (for effect). Remove the seeds and excess filaments. Remember to NOT CUT OFF the stem! You want to make the pepper look whole for presentation. Once you have prepped all the peppers, using a tablespoon, carefully begin stuffing each of the halves, putting the halves back together and placing them into your baking pan. Bake at 350 in the middle rack of your oven for about 50 minutes. For an additional 5 minutes, you can set the oven to broil so that the tops of the peppers can get a skin browning if you wish.

Once baked, remove the peppers and place them all in a long serving dish. You may want to carefully "reslice" the peppers exactly where you originally sliced them because the meat may have fused the two halves together. There will be pan drippings that we are now going to use as our sauce. Pour the pan drippings in a sauce pan, add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste, 1/4 cup of cream, and using a regular or preferably a spring whisk, mix well over medium low heat until sauce begins to steam. Remove and pour over or around the peppers and serve. So the sauce stays warm, I like to warm my serving dish and the best way to do this is to put the dish and the peppers in the oven after you have shut it off. Just leave it in the oven while you're preparing the sauce, usually about 4 minutes. Take care to use an oven mitten when removing the dish.

I think you will love these Stuffed Peppers. The meats will be perfectly cooked and not dry. A perfect side dish is corkscrew macaroni, cooked al dente, and tossed with a tablespoon of tomato paste and a drizzle of olive oil, just like in Italy. Serve with a nice glass of Syrah or Bolla Chella wine.

VEGETARIAN ALERT !!

If you are a Vegan, throw out the meat and use Bob's Red Mill High Protein TVP (textured vegetable protein). To rehydrate the TVP before using, pour 7/8 cup of boiling vegetable stock into  1 cup of TVP and let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and mix into the other ingredients as you would with the meat. Also, take a couple of brown mushrooms and 1 medium carrot and mince both, add to the mixture. Add a teaspoon of olive oil. This substitute recipe should produce a very nice moist stuffed pepper without the meat. If you make this, let me know how you liked it.