Braised Bourgignon-Style Short Ribs

There is nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a big bowl of this... 

A bottle of great red wine and a fire in the fireplace... That is exactly how John and I kicked off Christmas weekend last Thursday night.  Like most inexpensive cuts of beef, short ribs require a low-slow (3 hrs) cooking method but the result is fall-right-off-the-bone tenderness and a gravy that will make you lick your bowl clean.

Ingredients:   Serves 4 with leftovers

Braising:
3 1/2 pounds bone in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 of a 750 ml bottle of dry red wine
8 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
3 cups of beef stock (low salt)

Garnish:
3 slices of bacon
1 large shallot- chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 package cremini or baby bella mushrooms, halved/quartered
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
2 tablespoons of brandy or dry vermouth
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large cast iron dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high/high heat.  Season the ribs generously with kosher salt and black pepper.  In two batches, brown the meat on all sides - roughly 2 minutes per side.    Don't disturb them except for to rotate after 2 minutes.  This allows them to develop a nice crust.  Remove and drain on a papertowel.

Pour the fat out of the pan (do not rinse) and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil back to the pot.  Lower heat to medium.  Add the onion, celery and carrots.  Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees at this point.

Add the flour to the pot, toss to coat the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes before adding the wine.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all of the bits with the help of the wine.  Add the ribs back to the pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the wine has reduced a bit.

Add the beef stock, garlic and fresh herbs (whole on the stems is fine).  Cover the pot and place in the oven.  Cook for nearly 3 hours or until the bone can be easily pulled out of the meat.

While the ribs are in the oven- prepare the vegetables for the garnish.  This is where the bourgignon style bit comes in... Render the bacon in a saute pan over medium heat.  Remove the bacon once crispy.  Add one teaspoon of olive oil, the shallot, carrot and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown.  Add the thyme leaves for the last minute.

Add the vermouth/brandy and cook (or flambe if you like drama of a flame) until the liquid has evaporated.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Now back to the ribs... remove the ribs from the pot and set in a separate dish.  Strain the gravy through a sieve to remove the remaining vegetables, herbs, etc.  Return the ribs to the pan and pour the gravy over.  Gently fold in the garnish mixture and fresh parsley.

Serve over your favorite whipped potatoes (I like to whip half boiled potatoes and half boiled parsnips with butter and thyme and garlic infused cream) or buttered egg noodles with crusty bread for dipping.  You can crumble the bacon over the top as well.  I served a baby kale salad with balsamic vinaigrette, parmesan and pomegranate seeds on the side. 

While the recipe has numerous steps and takes 4 hours total, I assure you it is simple and the active time is minimal-  perfect for a Sunday or Saturday afternoon.  These are great for entertaining too as the short ribs can be made up to a day ahead of time and reheated before serving.  Add the parsley at the very last minute.

Prosciutto wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Otherwise knows as Saltimbocca or "jump in the mouth" translated from Italian, the concept of wrapping veal or chicken in prosciutto with sage leaves is not a new one.  I happen to LOVE this flavor combination- especially for fall- and my experimental method of wrapping the whole tenderloin turned out very well if I do say so myself. 

This was a quick, relatively fuss free (and healthy) weeknight dinner but the presentation would certainly impress company too. 

Serves 2 with leftovers

1 pork tenderloin
6 thin slices of prosciutto
10-12 fresh sage leaves
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

First rinse the pork and pat it dry with papertowels.  Trim off any big fat pieces or silver skin and season well with salt and pepper.  Next lay 4 slices of the prosciutto out on a large cutting board.  You want them to be at a slight diagonal and overlapping about half an inch.  (This should be the entire length of the pork.)

Lay the sage leaves down the middle of the prosciutto per the picture below.  You want the outer part of the leaf to be down on the prosciutto.  Depending on the size of the leaves, you might use two to be sure you get the sage flavor all the way around the pork. 

Lay the pork in the middle and starting on the end where you first layed the prosciutto, wrap it up around the pork.  My prosciutto wasn't long enough to get all the way around the pork  so I layed two more sage leaves and two slices of prosciutto (horizontally this time) to cover the seam.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear the pork on all sides- rotating every 2 minutes until the prosciutto is golden brown.  If your skillet is oven proof you can throw the whole thing in the oven.  (I transferred the pork to a baking sheet lined with tin foil.)  Roast the pork in the oven for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 145/150 degrees for medium.

Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing on an angle.  (Use a very sharp knife to cut 1.5 -2 inch slices so as to not pull all of the prosciutto off while you slice.)

As far as sides for this- I sauteed some fresh asparagus right in the same skillet while the pork was in the oven. I wanted to take advantage of the yummy salty flavor that the pork fat and prosciutto left behind.  (I tossed in one minced garlic clove too.)

I also had a balsamic fig jam in the fridge that I made from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Cookbook.  (Book and jam both amazing- you'll see much more from that soon.)  I put a little spoonful next to the pork and the sweetness was a great accompaniment with the saltiness of the prosciutto.

 If you are entertaining, the pork would be amazing with a butternut squash risotto or ravioli on the side.  (Whole Foods has a great butternut squash ravioli in the freezer section.  I boil per the package instructions and then toss it with some butter browned slightly in a skillet with some sliced fresh sage.)

Quick Pork Chops with Green Olives and Lemon

This was a super quick and easy weeknight meal that earned me a "wow what's the special occaison!?" from John when we sat down to eat on the back patio... definitely the best of both worlds.  Inexpensive, simple meals don't have to involve boring boneless chicken breasts OR pasta with jarred sauce, though we love both of those in moderation as well.

The ticket to this recipe is two good quality ingredients.  1) Local, organic thick cut pork chops and 2) preserved lemon.  Both could be found at your Whole Foods or specialty shop.  I'll get on my soapbox for a quick minute to stress the local, organic pork factor here.  Whole Foods has a great new color coding system that helps you understand exactly how local and how natural your options are.  As the butcher explained to me, happy pork is tasty pork (literally the muscles develop differently and the meat is more tender) and its worth a few extra dollars.  To put it this way, I got two beautiful thick cut chops for $8.00 which is frankly what you pay for a frozen pizza these days... 

Ingredients:

2 pork chops on the bone
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced/grated
3/4 cup dry white wine
Skin of 1 preserved lemon, chopped
1/2 cup green olives with pits, use a pairing knife to slice the meat off around the pit
1 teaspoon total of fresh rosemary and/or fresh thyme
1 heaping cup of cherry tomatoes

(Confession... I didn't have preserved lemons in this case but I just happened to find olives with essentialy pickled lemon slices mixed in when perusing the olive bar at Whole Foods... I cut them into tiny pieces and they worked perfectly.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Let the pork chops come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes and then season with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.  Season also with some sugar on both sides.  This helps the chops develop a beautifully caramelized crust. 

Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan oven medium-high heat.  Brown the chops of both sides, 3 minutes per side.  Toss the garlic and half of the herbs into the pan around the pork and give it a little shuffle around for 1 minute. Pour the wine over the chops and add half of the lemon and olives to the pan as well. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid (or a cookie sheet works too), and simmer until the pork is tender (8-10 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 150 degrees).  Meanwhile, toss the whole cherry or grape tomatoes with one tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining half of the chopped herbs and some salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes or until wilted and starting to burst.

Serve the pork chops with the pan juices spooned over the top and the extra lemon and olives.  Scoop some of the tomatoes onto the side.  The tang of the lemon and the brininess of the olives makes the dish feel really light and fresh.  The pork has a great crust and juicy interior with lots of great flavor from being cooked on the bone.  We paired this dish with a Rosenblum Zinfandel from California which was lovely.  (They say Zinfandel works well with grilled meats...)  A nice little Thursday dinner at home for under 30 minutes!

Honey Marinated Pork with Gremolata

I'm always looking for ways to jazz up chicken breasts and pork tenderloin. My arsenal has at least a dozen stand-by marinades, spice rubs, and pan sauces yet from time to time I get bored with them. This marinate/gremolata combo that I found in the February Bon Appetit magazine is simple and unlike anything I've had before. The balance of fresh earthy herbs and bright citrus over the perfectly caramelized pork is wonderfully refreshing any time of year.

Ingredients: Two 12-14 ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed 1/3 cup honey 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon of orange juice, freshly squeezed 1 teaspoon (or more) of kosher salt 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1/4 cup of dry white wine 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

Whisk the honey, garlic, and orange juice together in a measuring cup or a small bowl. Place the pork in a baking dish and pour the marinade over, turning to coat them evenly. Then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight.

Meanwhile- to prepare the gremolata mixture for sprinkling over the cooked pork, mix the orange zest and chopped herbs together in a small bowl. You can cover this and place in the fridge for later.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Move the pork over to a plate and SAVE THE MARINADE. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium heat for one minute. Then sear the pork, rotating to brown each side for about one minute. I didn't have a skillet large enough to do both, so I did them one at a time.

Transfer them back to a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 150 degrees. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

(I'll definitely try this on the grill when the weather improves a bit.)

Meanwhile, I prepared a sauce in the same skillet that I used to cook the pork... pour the reserved marinade and the white wine into the pan and cook over medium high heat until reduced to half a cup. This takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes.

Serve the sliced pork with a drizzle of the pan sauce and a sprinkling of the gremolata. You could serve the pork with roasted potatoes, couscous or your favorite veggie. I made a fennel risotto that worked well with the citrus flavor and some garlicky green beans. Check back soon for a detailed risotto "how to."

Beef Bourguignon

John and I have the travel bug lately and we're working on preliminary plans for a trip to France, hopefully in the fall. Nothing sounds better on a frigid, snowy winter day than a rich, rib-sticking beef stew (ideally in a cozy Brasserie in Paris, but in this case, home was going to have to do.) French Food at Home is a great show on the Cooking Channel. People are often intimidated by the idea of cooking French Food but she makes it very approachable. I was virtually drooling on the remote when she made this dish so I decided to give it a try. I adapted the recipe to cut it in roughly in half which served 4 people generously. (Note, this takes about three hours to cook slowly in the oven, active cooking time is only 40 mins or so. Definitely a Saturday or Sunday meal.) Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless stew meat cut into large chunks, I used a sirloin tip roast 1 cup of baby carrots (or 1-2 carrots peeled and cut into pieces) 1 small onion, quartered 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons of flour 1/2 bottle of dry red wine, I used a Bordeaux 2 1/2 cups beef stock 2 bay leaves 4 sprigs of fresh parsley, whole including stems 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, whole 3 slices of bacon, sliced thinly into lardons 20 pearl onions, I used frozen 1- 8oz package of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered Preheat the oven to 325. You want the rack in the bottom third of the oven so that a dutch oven will fit. Cut the sirloin roast into large pieces, 2-3 inch squares, and then seasoned it with kosher salt and black pepper. I browned the meat in some olive oil over medium high heat in a large dutch oven (you need one with a lid for baking.) I cooked the pieces in two batches to avoid crowding them. I cooked the beef for 2-3 minutes on all sides until it was brown. As soon as it gives way easily when you try to pick it up, its done. If its clinging to the pot, give it a minute more.

Next, I removed the beef from the pan, turned the heat down to medium and added the carrots and the quartered onion. (You'll strain these out later which is why you don't have to cut them up.) I cooked them for 3-4 minutes until golden before adding the garlic cloves, cooking one minute longer. div>Next, I sprinkled the flour over the vegetables- tossing to coat. This helps to thicken the sauce as the stew cooks. Lastly, I added the liquids and fresh herbs to the pot- scraping all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot as they deglazed it. The beef pieces are tucked down into the liquid and then the covered pot goes into the oven for about 2 hours. I let mine go closer to 2 and a 1/2 hours. The meat should be falling-apart-tender and your kitchen smells mouth-wateringly delicious.

I wish this picture wasn't so hazy but you can see the richness that develops as the vegetables flavor the cooking liquid that then slowly braises the meat.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, I prepared what Laura refers to as the traditional French garnish for this dish. I first crisped the bacon lardons in a pan, rendering all of the fat. I strained the bacon pieces out and set aside for later. I then browned the pearl onions (I set them out to thaw a bit first) in the bacon fat until they were golden, 6-7 minutes.

I strained the onions out into a large glass bowl and then browned the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes. (To get nicely toasted mushrooms, use a large skillet so they aren't crowded and don't stir them too often.) I added a tablespoon of butter to the bacon fat as they browned.

When they were brown and tender, I poured the mushrooms into the bowl with the onions and set aside. At this point, you carefully transfer (using tongs) the chunks of beef from the pot to the bowl with the onions and mushrooms. You then strain the cooking liquid from the pot into another large bowl. The carrots are probably super mushy which is why Laura removes them- mine weren't too bad so I actually kept some of them in. You want to remove the onions, herbs, garlic skins, etc.

My sauce had thickened to my liking- however as Laura suggests in her recipe- you can transfer the liquid back to the pot and boil down to a thicker sauce if you prefer. You then add the beef and garnish back into the pot with the liquid. You can serve immediately or reheat to serve later. This keeps well for a day in the fridge. I served the stew over some buttermilk whipped potatoes, garnished with some freshly chopped parsley and the crispy bacon lardons. I did a quick saute of haricot verts (thin French green beans) and garlic in some butter as well. Make sure you have a crusty French baguette to help soak up the delicious sauce. I can't wait to try the real thing a Paris some day soon! Bon Appetit!

Slow Cooker Pork Tinga Tacos

I'm super excited about a new cookbook that I received as a Christmas gift from my inlaws. Rick Bayless (some of you may know him as the winner of the very first Top Chef Masters on Bravo or by his three famous Chicago eateries) is the guru of authentic Mexican cuisine. His book "Mexican Everyday" is packed with simple yet delectable sounding Mexican food that doesn't require a dozen ingredients you've never heard of before. There will be a ton of mexican food going on at the Lacy house in 2011!

John and I decided to try the Pork "Tinga" tacos in the slow cooker and they were fantastic and super simple to prepare. I tweaked a few minor things. For example we used pork tenderloin instead of boneless pork shoulder which lightened things up a bit. I threw in some sweet potato with the regular potato. We also ended up doing about one and one half times the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins-just under 3 pounds total- cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium size russet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 medium size sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1- 28oz can and 1-15 oz can of diced tomatoes

5-6 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped

1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*The recipe called for 4 teaspoons of chipolte canning sauce which I skipped because I wasn't sure if he meant the adobo sauce or something entirely different...

First you scatter the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Next layer in the cubed pork and finally, mix the remaining ingredients (minus the cilantro) together in a large bowl and pour over the pork. Cook on a high setting for 6 hours until the meet is falling-apart-tender. I stirred everything up every two hours to be sure it was cooking evenly. Then I kept it on warm for another hour or so until we were ready to serve- adding the cilantro at the very last minute.

I made some fresh guacamole for snaking on before dinner and we used the rest of it to garnish our tacos. With this recipe, I prefer corn tortillas fried lightly in a bit of vegetable oil (this makes them a bit less likely to fall apart believe it or not) but I had small flour tortillas for my guests as well (as you can see in the picture, John always has makes one of each). I also had some crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro and Jack's salsa (THE BEST) for folks to use for taco building.

Though you can make a lovely meal of the tacos alone, on the side I served some Mexican style rice and black beans and some sauteed onion and rainbow chard. *My sister is a vegetarian and Rick Bayless had a yummy recipe for tacos of spicy sauteed onions, greens, and queso fresco. She made her tacos with that and I sampled some on the side with my pork tacos. With some black beans for protein, I think she was a happy camper!

This recipe could easily serve 8-10 people. I ate it "chili style" the next day over rice garnished with some fresh sliced avocado, salsa and fresh cilantro. You could add a can of black beans for the last hour of slow cook time and have an amazing soup/stew for tailgating. It actually really is light yet perfectly satisfying if you go the tenderloin route.

Can't wait to sample more recipes from the book! I'll be sure to report back when I do. Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Pulled Pork Barbecue for a Crowd

I love pork barbecue...Some people crave burgers or steaks- my go-to is a bun piled high with smokey, spicey, sweet pulled pork . Nothing beats a bbq sandwich with all of the trimmings- mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, etc. There are many different schools of thought on the subject- you have your Memphis, Texas, Carolina, and Kansas City varieties to name a few. I don't discriminate by any means but if I had to name a favorite, I'd say my preference would be the mustard-vinegar based Lexington/Carolina style barbecue. I've tried a few slow cooker recipes on a smaller scale but I decided I would try a new method for an event we hosted at our house Saturday for the Urology group at UK. We had 18 adults and a few kids to feed so I figured two pork shoulders (also known as "Boston butt") would feed the masses. Our guests all chipped in with side dishes and beverages to share which was perfect. I studied at least half a dozen recipes and morphed them into this one. It is a two day process- broken into three phases- but it really takes very little "active" cooking time. 1) The Brining Phase- I started with two, bone-in pork shoulders, approximately 5-6 pounds each. I made a brine in the largest stock pot that I own and soaked the pork shoulders for two and a half hours in the fridge. Brining ensures that the pork stays extra juicy and tender in the event you use the slow roast or smoked method of cooking it. The brine consisted of: 1 cup of flour 1/2 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns 4 quarts of water

2) The Spice Rub- I removed the pork from the brine and patted the shoulders dry with paper towels. (Removing any peppercorns that stick.) I rubbed them generously on all sides with a spice rub and placed them on a large roasting pan covered with tin foil to hang out in the fridge over night. (I covered the pan tightly with more foil.)

Spice Rub: 1/2 cup cumin 1/2 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup paprika 1/2 cup chili powder 2 tbsp cayenne powder 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper, ground 2 teaspoons onion powder 4 teaspoons garlic powder *I didn't use all of the spice rub mixture so I saved a third of the mixture for later. It would probably be great on grilled chicken or pork tenderloin another day.

I also made a vinegar-based sauce the day prior and let it sit in the fridge over night as well. After much tasting and adjusting of ingredients, I ended up with a mixture of the following:

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup molasses

1/3 cup yellow mustard 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Carolina style coleslaw is also typically vinegar based. I read that many people use this very same sauce to dress the cabbage so I poured roughly 1/3 cup of a sauce into a mixing bowl for that purpose. John prefers a mayo-based coleslaw so I decided to marry the two concepts together. I whisked the vinegar sauce together with about one cup of mayonnaise. The flavor was fantastic however next time, I would prepare the vinegar sauce without the cayenne and red pepper flakes first and take the 1/3 of a cup for the slaw before adding the heat. I like a kick to just about everything but I think the coleslaw should really have a cooling balance to the heat of the barbecue.

*I used one head of green cabbage and a generous 1 cup of baby carrots for the slaw. (This ended up being pretty carrot heavy.) I gave it all a rough chop by hand and then pulsed it into a course confetti like slaw in the food processor. I had to do it in three batches based on the volume. I poured the sauce over and tossed it all together before putting it in the fridge to set up overnight.

3) Sear and Bake the Pork- The next morning I set the pork out on the counter to come to room temperature - or for about an hour and preheated the oven to 325 degrees. I seared each shoulder over medium-high/high heat in a cast iron skillet coated with oil - rotating it every 90 seconds or so to get a nice crust on all sides. (You need some seriously sturdy tongs for this, its a little awkward to maneuver.) I had two of the flatter roasting pans covered with tin foil and I set one pork shoulder in each to bake. I wanted to give them space so that the heat could distribute evenly. (Make sure the oven rack is in the lowest of the three positions. Also check that your two pans can fit side by side on the rack before you put the pork on them. One large roasting pan might work as well- I don't have one.) I covered the pans with more foil and roasted the pork for 4 hours. Two hours in, I took the two pans out and turned them to ensure that they were cooking evenly.

I would start checking the internal temperature of the meat around 3 hours- you want them to 170 degrees exactly. (Insert the thermometer to the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone.) The baking time could vary based on the size of the pork, the position of the pork in the oven, etc. Let the pork cool for 30 minutes or so before removing the bones. You can then slice, chop, or pull the pork depending on your preference. I placed the pork in two large baking dishes and drizzled it with just a bit of the vinegar sauce to keep it moist until we were ready to serve. (I reheated it for a few minutes in a 350 degree oven- covered with foil - just before.) I will say that the vinegar-mustard sauce is quite tangy. I had a few bottles of different sauces for my guests to sample and I determined that the perfect combination was the vinegar-mustard sauce that I made mixed with a Sticky Fingers Sweet Carolina sauce.

Also- if you're a real Carolina barbecue believer, you know that you eat your coleslaw ON your barbecue sandwich. (I like a few pickle slices in there too.)

I would say the barbecue was definitely a hit. By the end of the night (countless sandwiches and some late night picking later) we'd polished all but a few scraps of the pork which was quite a feat. Fortunately John and I did get one more sandwich for lunch the next day. I might need to make up another batch to have on hand around the holidays!

(Mostly) Turkey Bolognese

John had the day off on Friday and because he is wonderful- he spent the majority of it cleaning/repairing/projecting around the house for me. I told him that I would prepare the dinner of his choice as a reward. He requested pappardelle bolognese and his mom's chocolate pie. (I made one big pie this time.) With the holidays rapidly approaching, I wanted to lighten it up a bit so I made my variation of Michael Chiarello's Chicken Bolognese recipe. I love his approach because the recipe comes together in 30 minutes or so (versus your simmered all day kind of sauce which is great too) and it has all the the flavor without all of the fat. Ingredients: 1 lb of ground turkey 0.5 lbs of Italian pork sausage (I used hot) 1 medium yellow onion (chopped) 4 large cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon of dried, crushed rosemary (or crush it with your hands) 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (or to your taste) 1/3 cup of white wine 1 cup (a little more) of chicken stock roughly 2 cups of jarred marinara or tomato sauce (I use marinara if I have it) 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley 1 pound of fresh or dried pasta (Per the recipe via the link above, definitely use the porcini mushrooms if you have them on hand- I didn't this time.) In a heavy bottomed pot or skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sautee the onions 3-4 minutes or until almost tender. Next add the turkey and sausage (turn the heat up a bit to med-high) and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. As soon as its browned all over, add the garlic and herbs and cook for one minute longer. Add the white wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until its almost entirely evaporated. Next goes the chicken stock and marinara/tomato sauce. Cook everything together over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the flavors have come together. Use chicken stock to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. At this point, I use my immersion blender to break down the larger chunks of turkey and sausage a bit more. I just pulse it a few times. I like the sauce chunky but to have an even consistency. (You can also do this with a few pulses of the food processor if you don't have an immersion blender- or you can leave it as is if you like.) I wait to stir in the fresh parsley just before serving. I made fresh pappardelle pasta using the pasta machine John got me for Christmas last year (he claims I don't use it enough). Pappardelle are the widest of the pasta noodles to my knowledge, roughly an inch wide. Pappardele with bolognese was one of John's go-to orders when we were in Tuscany for our honeymoon 3.5 years ago. Something about the wide noodles scooping up the chunky sauce just works. Transfer the cooked pasta into the pot with the sauce as soon as the pasta is done cooking. Reserve a ladle or two of the pasta cooking water and use that to thin the sauce if necessary once the pasta has been tossed together with the sauce. (The noodles tend to soak up some of the liquid and you want to be sure you have a silky sauce versus a sticky one.) Serve with a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and a bit more parsley if you like. Confession.. I did not take any pictures (we were visiting and drinking wine with my parents while cooking and I forgot.) this picture was borrowed from the Internet but I assure you mine looked very similar except that I was less stingy with the cheese.)

Lamb Tenderloins with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach

"Lamb tenderloins??" You might be scratching your head as I realize these aren't something you see at your average Kroger meat counter. So allow me to let you in on a little secret... we're talking about the most tender, delicate, delicious morsels of lamb you will ever experience. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, lamb was the most popular of proteins, therefore my mom was able to get these on a regular basis. I'm convinced that the Saudi Royal Family must have some secret deal with the U.S. Government that says all lamb tenderloins will be exported for their exclusive dining pleasure because they truly are hard to find. There was actually a small butcher shop in Charleston that carried them but even they were most often sold out. I finally asked what the deal was and they told me there was an older (I'm envisioning wealthy) woman out on Wadamalaw Island that called in every week to buy every last one of them as they came in. So imagine my surprise (and delight) when I spotted them at Fresh Market a few weeks ago!!There are a little pricey (I think $14/lb?) but WORTH.IT. Marinated simply in the following marinade (1 hour is sufficient), a quick grilling or pan searing of these babies is all you need for what I assure you is a super special meal... Lamb Marinade: 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 cup olive oil juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 1 generous teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped *This was just enough for one pound of lamb. Similarly, I dressed my cleaned, halved fingerling potatoes with a mixture of: 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil 1 teaspoon of kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary *I had a bag of fingerlings from the store, roughly two pounds, maybe not quite... I tossed the potatoes in the mixture and then roasted them at 425 degrees for approximately 35 minutes total. I started them cut side down and then flipped them half way through. Just as I put the potatoes in for the second half of bake time (post flip), I cooked my lamb. I removed the lamb tenderloins from the marinade and seared them over high heat- in a drizzle of olive oil- for barely 2 minutes per side. They were perfectly caramelized on the outside and a lovely medium/medium rare inside. I let them rest, tented loosely with tin foil while I quickly sauteed one bag of baby spinach in the same pan. I thinly sliced two garlic cloves to add in with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. It cooks down almost immediately over medium heat. (I take it off the heat before the last of the leaves have wilted to ensure it doesn't get too soft.)

A classic "steak house" dinner made even more special by way of lamb. Just as with chicken, pork or beef, the lamb tenderloins are melt-in-your mouth tender and juicy. You MUST keep your eyes peeled for them... you'll thank me!

This meal serves 4 however I would use 2 bags of spinach.

Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

John proclaimed this dish a recent favorite from the Accidental Syrup kitchen which was a pleasant surprise. I threw this dish together on a whim having seen a similar recipe online somewhere recently. The earthy richness of mushrooms cooked with wine and herbs gives the dish flavor you'd expect to have come from slow cooking all day... but in reality, its essentially a 30-minute meal. (Don't be mislead by the lengthy post, I was a bit wordy in describing the details.) Mushrooms and Sausage: 3 sweet Italian sausage links, removed from casings * 1 package of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced 1/2 package of shitake mushrooms, whole if not too large 2 small/medium shallots, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup of dry red wine (we were drinking a Rioja so I used some of that) 1/2 cup of chicken stock salt and pepper to taste 1-2 tablespoons of butter to finish the sauce *optional In a skillet, I warmed a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium high heat. I added the sausage to the pan and cooked for 4-5 minutes until the sausage was brown on the outside and just cooked through. (Using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage as it browned.) The mushrooms and shallots went it at this point- at first it seems like a ton of mushrooms but they cook down significantly. I cooked the mixture for 6-7 minutes until the mushrooms were tender and golden brown and the shallots were soft I then added the garlic and herbs, cooking for one minute longer before adding the wine. Using the wine to deglaze the pan, I scraped all of the little bits that were sticking to the bottom to incorporate the extra flavor into the sauce. Once the wine had reduced by half, I added the chicken stock and let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium low heat while I prepared the polenta and toasted some ciabatta bread to serve on the side (Add more stock a few tablespoons at a time if you feel you need more liquid.) *I used a locally raised Italian style pork sausage that is leaner than the average grocery store variety. If you prefer to lighten it up a bit, you can remove the sausage from the pan once brown and discard some of the rendered fat before sauteing the vegetables. The ticket to a speedy preparation is quick cooking Polenta. I personally stock up on the Delallo's brand at my local Kroger but there are other brands out there. Cooking the polenta the traditional way takes 30 minutes of nearly constant stirring whereas the "quick" variety cooks in just one minute. One package (9.2 oz) is poured slowly into 4.5 cups of boiling, lightly salted water- whisking constantly. (You might turn your heat down to medium as you do this, otherwise is starts to splatter.) Whisk the polenta mixture for another 45 or 60 seconds until the polenta is tender. (Consult the package instructions if using another brand.) I removed the polenta from the heat and added: 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed a bit in the microwave) 3 tablespoons of butter cut into cubes 1/4 cup grated parmesam 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese (could use all parmesan if you don't have it handy) *I had chicken stock open for the mushrooms and sausage saute so I used a few tablespoons to thin the polenta to the desired creaminess. The polenta resembles the texture of grits but it has a richer "corn" flavor and a creamier texture. (Alternatively, you can pour the warm polenta into a lightly greased baking sheet and refrigerate until set. It can be cut into squares, triangles, or however you like and then grilled, pan fried, etc.) At the very last minute, I finished the mushrooms and sausage with a pat of butter to add some silkiness to the sauce and then served a heap over a bed of polenta. (I recommend serving in a rimmed soup bowl to keep the sauce contained until soaked into the polenta.) A sprinkle of fresh parsley over the top would have been ideal as well. a)

b)

Guest Chef Annie Cobetto's Signature Sliders

My sister was home for a visit recently and she prepared a fantastic meal for my parents and I one evening. (John was working-sadly, he misses a lot of fantastic family meals these days...) This amazing slider sampler was, ironically, created by my sister, the Pescetarian. (NOTE: Pescatarians are essentially vegetarians that eat seafood. She has a toe in the vegan pool as well, eating very few animal products.)

As a pescetarian/vegan, Annie has to try really hard to work enough protein into her diet on a daily basis, therefore she consumes a LOT of veggie burgers. She was telling us that she's always looking for ways to jazz up her veggie burgers and that lead to the idea of preparing some of her creative slider creations for us. She used beef for our dinner (veggie burger for hers)- we used locally raised, organic Laura's Lean Beef.

She kindly shared her notes with me so that I could share them with you...

King Burgers with Roma Tomato Jam, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions

"King Burger" Seasoning:

2/3 lb ground beef

generous 1/2 teaspoon of Lawery's Seasoning Salt

1 tablespoon of A-1 steak sauce

1 tablespoon of finely chopped onions

one small clove of garlic, minced

*My dad won first place in a local beef festival cook off with this burger recipe. He stuffed the patties with saga blue cheese before grilling.

She formed two inch patties -slider style- and grilled all of the different burgers at the same time. For this variation, she topped the burgers with some of my mom's leftover Roma Tomato Jam (featured in last summer's "Home Sweet Home" post), some sliced onions that she had caramelized and finished in the pan with a splash of brandy and some chopped mushrooms, and goat cheese crumbles. All served up on a delicious whole wheat dinner roll- the perfect "slider-size" bun. LOTS of flavor happening in these.

Cuban Style Burgers

2/3 lb of ground beef 1 small clove of garlic- minced 1/2 tsp chile powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 3 dashes Tabasco salt and pepper

These little gems were served on mini yeast roll layered with grilled sliced ham, Monterrey Jack Cheese and Relish Mustard: Mix equal parts (2 tablespoons of each would be plenty) spicy brown mustard, yellow mustard, and sweet pickle relish -she also minced a Clausen pickle spear and mixed that in as well. These were also fantatic- I happen to be a sucker for a cuban sandwich so anything that falls into that category is going to be a winner by me.

Classic Cheese Burger with Summer Vegetables:

Last but not least, she made a mini all American cheese burger spiced up with some of our favorite summer veggies on a mini wheat roll.

Pickled Cucumber and Vidalia Onions: Soak peeled and thinly sliced cucumbers and Vidalia onions in a brine of equal parts cider vinegar and water, with a pinch of sugar.

Sliced garden fresh tomatoes dressed with a lemon dill vinaigrette (equal parts lemon juice and olive oil, a dash of dijon mustard, salt, pepper and fresh dill).

These were classically fresh and delicious. The tang of the dressed vegetables really brightened these burgers up. You could season the meat simply with salt and pepper, use your favorite grilling seasoning or the King Burger recipe above.

If you're not dizzy from the details yet, she took it one big step further in preparing a Chipolte Ketchup and Garlic Saffron Aioli to accompany our sweet potato french fries. (Store bought- in the freezer section- and excellent.)

Chipolte Ketchup:

1 cup ketchup

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo (minced) about 1 T of the adobo sauce from the can

1/2 to 1 T balsamic vinegar

Fresh Garlic Saffron Aioli: (makes a big batch)

2 whole heads of garlic 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon saffron threads (definitely a SPLURGE, you could use less and still get the flavor) 3/4 cup canola oil 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup olive oil Heat oven to 350. Wrap each head of garlic in foil and roast in oven until soft (about an hour) Unwrap, and let them cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon. Set aside. (She mentioned that next time she'd add some of the zest as well.)

Place 2 tablespoons of hot water in a small bowl. In a small, dry skillet over moderate heat, toast saffron for 30 seconds. Stir toasted saffron into hot water, then fold saffron water into egg mixture.

In a blender (or food processor) combine 4 tablespoons canola oil, raw garlic, roasted garlic, and salt. Blend on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture and blend 1 more minute. With motor running, very slowly add olive oil and remaining canola oil in a steady stream, and continue blending until thick, about two minutes.

A DECADENT and delicious meal. It was so fun to try all of the different flavors. A slider party is a really fun way to recreate a classic "burger-hot dog grilling-cookout" when it comes to entertaining. You could ask each guest to bring their favorite toppings to share or award a prize to the most creative combination.

Thanks, Annabelle for a scrumptious meal. It was too good not to share with my Accidental Syrup friends! xo

Stuffed Zucchini

It seems everywhere you go in Lexington this time of year, friends and neighbors are eager to share fresh summer vegetables with you. Unfortunately, my garden hasn't produced much of anything yet because I got such a late start- so I've been grateful to enjoy the surplus of others. My mom gave me a beautiful zucchini the other day- it must have been 10 or 11 inches long- absolutely perfect for this recipe. I sliced the zucchini length wise and gently carved out the seeds with a spoon, leaving a shell barely one half inch thick. I then pricked the flesh all over with a fork to help it cook all the way through while baking. You also use two or three smaller zucchini if you like- the grocery store rarely carries the giant variety. I preheat the oven to 375 degrees... The secret to the sauce is fresh local summer tomatoes. You could use any kind you like- grape, cherry, red, yellow, Roma, etc. I find that the large tomatoes such as Better Boys have tougher skins that should really be removed. Simple Summer Tomato Sauce: 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1/2 of a sweet onion, diced (you'll use the other half in the filling so you can dice the whole onion) 2 cloves of garlic, minced (you'll use two more in the filling so go ahead and mince 4) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved 1 large tomato, peeled and crushed by hand 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon of sugar salt and pepper to taste 5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly I started the olive oil and onion in a saucepan over medium heat, sauteed for 3-4 minutes until the onions were translucent, and then I added the garlic, thyme and tomato paste. I cooked the mixture for one minute, stirring well, before adding the tomatoes, sugar and water. Lastly I seasoned the sauce with salt and pepper and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I actually didn't add the basil until just before serving to maximize the flavor.) While the sauce was simmering away, I made the filling which consisted of the following: 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed if using links) 1/2 of a small sweet onion, diced (approx 1/2 cup) 1/2 of a bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup Cremini (baby portabella) Mushrooms, roughly chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 cloves of garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste I started with a generous drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and then added the onions. I sauteed the onions for two minutes before adding the bell pepper, and a minute or two later the sausage. I cooked it all together for 7 or 8 minutes, breaking the sausage up with a spoon as it browned. As soon as the sausage was approaching cooked through, I added the remaining ingredients and cooked for two more minutes.

I spooned the filling into the zucchini, packing it in to fit as much as possible. I then spooned some of the sauce over the top (maybe one third of it) and sprinkled over a mixture of grated Italian cheeses. (Next time I would actually mix 1/3 of the sauce into the filling before stuffing the zucchini versus spooning it over the top. I think it would have helped to bind it all together a bit better.)

I then poured 2/3 cup white wine into the dish, covered the dish with tin foil and put it into the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I removed the foil, spooned some of the wine and juices from the dish over the top of the zucchini and cooked 10 minutes longer, letting the cheese get nice and toasty brown.

I served the zucchini over a bed of the sauce with a green salad on the side. It would also be good with a side of pasta. You could double the sauce recipe in that case. It really was tasty- (though missing a big crusty piece of garlic toast). The zucchini was perfectly tender and the filling was hearty and flavorful. The extra sauce on the plate added a big punch of freshness without making it soggy (a danger if the sauce is served over the top.)

You could also use the same preparation (filling and sauce) for stuffed baby eggplant or stuffed bell peppers. Its hard to go wrong with this combination... yum.

Texas Strip Steak with Cilantro- Parsley Sauce and Crushed Potatoes

I was fortunate to spend last weekend visiting some of my best college friends in Fort Worth, Texas. Though I could very easily have eaten Tex-Mex three meals a day and enjoyed every last bite of it, we opted to cook dinner in Saturday night. We were feeling spent after a decadent brunch at Tillman's Roadhouse followed by an afternoon sipping frozen lemonade with vodka by the pool. Before I get to the menu, I have to tell you about three AMAZING Fort Worth destinations that I would demand you visit if you're ever in the area. 1. La Familia Tex Mex. I hadn't been on Texas soil an hour before I was greeted warmly by an unbelievably delicious and ENORMOUS margarita, a cup of queso and a huge basket of fresh tortilla chips at La Familia. Let's just say my hostess knows me very well... They bring you a little cup of delicious soup before your meal. For dinner we opted for Tacos al Carbon- one chicken, one steak- loaded with grilled onions inside of freshly made tortillas and accompanied by fresh guac, pico, cheese, etc. HEAVENLY I tell you... Oh, did I say margarita?? I meant to tell you that it HAD A BEER STICKING OUT OF THE TOP and flaming sugar cubes on the sides as they brought it to the table... As you drink the margarita (you'll need a straw for this one) the beer slowly empties into the glass. Absolutely amazing!

2. I mentioned Tillman's Roadhouse brunch earlier... this place was absolutely unlike anything I've ever seen before. It is rustic roadhouse meats metropolitan chic. Its a log-cabin feel with longhorns on the wall and huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. You'd really have to see it to understand but the food was equally as clever and unique. They bring you fresh fried kettle chips at the table when you sit down and the menu incredible. We'd already been warned about dessert so unfortunately we decided to pass on the house made monkey bread that I happened to see at a nearby table. It was a HEAP of gooey doughy cinnamon deliciousness.

For my entree I enjoyed the "Bennie and the Jets" dish of two blue corn cakes topped with pulled pork bbq, poached eggs and green chile "bacon-daise." Lets just say its a benedict like you've never experienced before. Incredible. 'Nuff said.

Lastly... we ordered the Smores for dessert... The brought us three different kinds of HOMEMADE marshmallows (espresso, maple and orange flavors), rich dark chocolate squares and house made graham crackers on a huge platter. Then they bring out mini bonfires (in little clay pots) and skewers for you to toast your marshmallows table side! I'm telling you, if you're ever in the area, you can't miss it.

3. Central Market. If you've been to Austin or DFW you've probably heard of Central Market but this was my first experience. It is any food lovers HEAVEN ON EARTH. It is an enormous market that I would equate to Whole Foods on super steroids. It is a giant warehouse containing the most impressive array of fresh produce, meets, seafood, wine and grocery items. This is where we did our shopping for dinner Saturday night and I literally could have spent days there. When it was time to plan a menu for dinner, I had no hope of topping brunch but seeing as we were in cattle country I picked out three TEXAS-sized strip steaks which was more than enough for the six of us. I seasoned them simply with a steak rub and let sit out at room temperature while I prepped a quick and simple Parsley-Cilantro dipping sauce and Michael Chiarello's Potatoes da Delphina.

I'll refer you to Michael's recipe for more details about the potatoes but its a fun alternative to baked or your standard roasted potatoes. I subbed in parmesan cheese for the lemon zest this time.

For the Cilantro-Parsley Sauce, I combined the following ingredients in the food processor:

1/2 bunch parsley, stems removed 1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, roughly chopped 2 large cloves of garlic 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper I whirred everything together in the food processor and then while it was running I slowly poured about 1/3 cup of olive oil down the spout. I grilled the steaks for approx 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Liz had sliced a large vidalia onion into thick slices and then wrapped them up in tin foil with some butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. (I think..) I set the foil packets on the grill at the same time as the steaks. I then threw on some asparagus (with just olive oil, salt and pepper) for the last 4 minutes of the grill time. I let the steaks rest 10 minutes and then sliced them on a large wooden cutting board and let everyone serve themselves. (I was keeping the potatoes warm in the oven until ready to serve.) I transferred the Cilantro-Parsley sauce to a small pitcher to drizzle over top the steak. It adds a huge punch of flavor. You'll end up dunking just about everything on your plate into it. Can't wait to get back some day soon.. where everything is bigger, and as far as eating and drinking goes, maybe a little better... in Texas!!

Ribeye with Spicy Hoisin Glaze and Sesame Cucumber Salad

Now that I'm living the heart of American farm land, I'm trying to broaden my meat horizons a bit. In Charleston, we had enough fresh fish and shellfish to keep a the health-conscious home cook occupied in the kitchen for years however I've decided to branch out. Its only appropriate seeing as my parents raise beef cattle about 40 miles from here- therefore I'm eager to learn more about the local industry. I have a Whole Foods and Fresh Market handy which I love because on the whole I trust their meat sources however I've also discovered that my Kroger carries Laura's Lean Beef, an all natural cattle producer right here in Lexington, KY. I found the Bon Appetite recipe for Grass Fed Strip Steak with Spicy Hoisin Sauce and Cucumber Relish on Epicurious.com. Though featuring red meat, I thought the menu sounded particularly light and refreshing. I decided to sub in a Ribeye based on the fact it looked better at the store. The ticket here is that one steak generously feed two people. Slicing it thinly before serving really helps fill up your plate with less food. (If I'd put half of a whole steak on the plate, John would have raised an eyebrow for sure.) I first generously seasoned the steak with kosher salt and black pepper, letting it sit out, covered in foil, to come to room temperature. This helps it cook evenly. Next I peeled and sliced 3/4 of an English cucumber into quarter-inch, half slices and tossed it with a simple dressing of: - Scant 1/4 cup rice vinegar - 1.5 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger (I actually by the little jar of of it and keep it in the fridge) - 1 teaspoon of lightly toasted sesame seeds - pinch of sugar and salt I let this set up in the fridge for 20-30 minutes in the fridge to let the cucumbers soak up the flavors. You definitely want to serve this nice and cold. Thirdly, I prepared the Spicy Hoisin Glaze (I took a few short cuts here while cutting the recipe by half)... •1 teaspoon olive oil •1 medium shallots, thinly sliced •1 garlic cloves, minced •1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger •1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper •1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth •scant 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (you can find it in the Asian section of most groceries) •2 teaspoons light soy sauce •1 tablespoons honey

(The recipe also called for Cilantro which I did not have but it would have been a fantastic addition.) Per the recipe: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and next 3 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth, hoisin, and soy sauce; boil until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in honey.

I removed the glaze from the heat and then prepared a cast iron skillet for "grilling" the steak. I love a steak on the grill but if you love your steak medium rare (or if you're having a lazy day and don't feel like getting the grill ready) I swear by this method. I find I'm consistently able to avoid over cooking. I heat some vegetable oil (just a drizzle and not olive oil because the smoke point isn't as high enough) over medium-high/high heat until rippling. I then sear the steak for two-three minutes per side. That's.it. I let it rest under tented-foil for 10 minutes before serving. Note: it continues to cook some as it sits.

While the steak was resting, I sliced one medium vidalia onion into half inch slices. I threw it into the cast iron skillet and sauteed in the left over oil and steak renderings over medium heat until tender and golden brown. (A bit decadent I know but its the only splurge in the menu.) I added a little squeeze of honey and one teaspoon of rice vinegar to de-glaze the little bits of goodness and to help facilitate caramelization. Lastly I sliced the steak thinly into "his and hers" portions onto two plates, spooned some of the Hoisin Glaze over top and then served a generous spoonful of the cucumber salad and sauteed onions alongside. The cool, crispy cucumbers cut through the heat and the richness of the steak and onions just perfectly. The glaze was the perfect sweet, spicy, savory combination. It would be great over grilled chicken or pork tenderloin as well. The dish was incredibly satisfying despite the fact we were in essence splitting a steak and omitting starch. It will definitely be going into the summer rotation this year. His... Hers...

Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Vegetables

The chaos of selling/buying houses, planning for the move to Kentucky, working, etc. has me a wee bit behind in the blog posts... my apologies...but Masters Sunday, we had friends Morgan and Guy over to watch the end of the tournament and to grill some dinner. We had an open house earlier in the day so I was in search of a make-ahead recipe. Thumbing through one of my many Ina Garten cookbooks I decided on her Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin recipe. I followed the recipe to the letter, leaving the pork in the marinade about four hours. (On second thought I used only two pork tenderloins so I cut back on the ingredients proportionally.) The pork was INCREDIBLY flavorful. Ina says she lets them go overnight but there is so much lemon juice in the marinade that I'm sure any longer than 5-6 hours would start to "cook" your pork. I promise you that four hours was plenty in terms of packing in lots of yumminess. I also made a separate marinade for the grilled veggies. I mixed together: 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar juice of half a lemon 3 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tsp honey 1 scant tsp dijon mustard 1 clove of garlic- minced leave from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 4-5 basil leaves, sliced thinly pinch of kosher salt and cracked black pepper I let this sit for a few hours and then poured it over the vegetables an hour or so before grill time. I used two green zucchini, one yellow, one red bell pepper and one red onion for lots of color. I cut them into roughly one inch pieces and then threaded them onto skewers before grilling. John grilled both the pork and the veggies to perfection. The pork was just medium, barely pink in the center and the veggies were tender but still had a crispness to them. I decided against a starch because we'd snacked on home made pimento cheese toasts before dinner while sipping Arnold Palmer's- a delightful combination of sweet tea, lemonade and vodka. I made my own pimento cheese in this case but you could easily use store bought. I toasted baguette slices under the broiler for barely one minute per side. I then layered a generous spoonful of pimento cheese and a thin roma tomato slice on top. I sprinkled the top with a tiny bit of salt and pepper before sticking them back under the broiler for 20-30 second or just until the top was barely bubbly. After all, it wouldn't be the Masters without pimento cheese.