Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two very different cuts of pork from different parts of the animal. The tenderloin is very narrow in diameter, about 2 inches in diameter; and the loin is wide - about 4 - 5 inches in diameter. I have cooked pork tenderloin many times, but not pork loin. In searching the Internet, I found a tenderloin recipe that sounded really easy, and decided to try it on pork loin. The results were terrific - juicy, moist, and delicious.
I found the original rccipe on allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/176359/easy-marinated-pork-tenderloin/) I made a couple of changes to the original recipe. I:
- used a shallow roasting pan rather than a baking dish,
- used a 24-ounce piece of meat rather than 2 pounds, and
- calculated the cooking time on a per-pound basis rather than giving a 2-pound time.
The recipe below is my version. It should make three to four servings, although the two of us managed to devour the whole piece.
(The way I ended up with a 24-oz piece of meat was that Publix had a sale and the pork loins on sale were very large. I bought a 6-pound loin and cut it into four equal lengths. I froze the three pieces I didn't use.)
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp Dijon honey mustard
salt & ground black pepper to taste
24 oz. piece of pork loin
Directions
1. Cut excess fat off the pork loin.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place the meat in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to cooking.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Place the meat in a shallow roasting pan and pour the marinade over the meat.
5. Cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes per pound, until the pork is no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145°. I cooked the 24-oz. loin for 45 minutes.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Another Terrific Meal at Ortygia - Bradenton Sicilian Restaurant
We have waited far too long to return to Ortygia Restaurant in Bradenton, which offers wonderful Sicilian, French, and Mediterranean-fusion cuisine. It also has a very reasonably priced wine list. The owner-chef, Bob Gaetano, clearly loves his culinary endeavors and interacts frequently and warmly with his customers. We had last dined there twice in 2011, and enjoyed terrific meals both times. Since it's about a 45-minute drive from our house, we tend to go to closer restaurants. We won't wait so long before we return.
My wife's appetizer was the Torta di Carciofi, a torte with artichokes and caramelized onions in a handmade crust for $8.50. It was wonderful.
My appetizer was a set of two different patés:
- The Paté della Casa (house paté) with chicken livers, pork tenderloin, Szechuan peppercorns, and Mediterranean spices. (As Chef Gaetano informed me when I asked, it was only mildly spicy, despite the Szechuan peppercorns.)
- The Paté delle Due Sicilie (Paté of the Two Sicilies) - a mushroom paté with capers, olives, and dry Marsala.
Both patés were terrific.
My wife's main dish was the Pasta Siciliana - penne pasta with San Marzano tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, basil, and ricotta for $13.50. She really loved it.
I decided to try the Timballo di Penne which my had enjoyed twice in 2011. Timballo is an Italian dish that can be made with pasta, rice, or potatoes. This one had penne, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, prosciutto, provolone, and roasted peppers in béchamel and parmesan cheese with house-made, slow-cooked tomato sauce for $14.50. It was fantastic. (The name of the dish is derived from timbale, the French word for kettle drum.)
Our wine was a 2013 Feudo Disisa Terre Siciliane Nero d'Avola. It was very nice. I believe the price was $32.
We also had delicious desserts, and I had a cup espresso.
Our server, April, was very nice.
The name Ortygia evokes fond memories for my wife and me because we spent several days with two other couples in the charming Sicilian waterfront town of Ortygia. One evening, when we were dining at a waterfront restaurant called Le Papere, four Italian diners at a table next to us were singing as one of them played the guitar. One of our friends, who is Italian-American asked if he might play the guitar. (He is an accomplished singer and guitarist.) They invited him to do so, and we all began singing. It was a terrific evening - friends, great food, wonderful wine, and perfect temperatures - bellissima!
My wife's appetizer was the Torta di Carciofi, a torte with artichokes and caramelized onions in a handmade crust for $8.50. It was wonderful.
My appetizer was a set of two different patés:
- The Paté della Casa (house paté) with chicken livers, pork tenderloin, Szechuan peppercorns, and Mediterranean spices. (As Chef Gaetano informed me when I asked, it was only mildly spicy, despite the Szechuan peppercorns.)
- The Paté delle Due Sicilie (Paté of the Two Sicilies) - a mushroom paté with capers, olives, and dry Marsala.
Both patés were terrific.
My wife's main dish was the Pasta Siciliana - penne pasta with San Marzano tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, basil, and ricotta for $13.50. She really loved it.
I decided to try the Timballo di Penne which my had enjoyed twice in 2011. Timballo is an Italian dish that can be made with pasta, rice, or potatoes. This one had penne, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, prosciutto, provolone, and roasted peppers in béchamel and parmesan cheese with house-made, slow-cooked tomato sauce for $14.50. It was fantastic. (The name of the dish is derived from timbale, the French word for kettle drum.)
Our wine was a 2013 Feudo Disisa Terre Siciliane Nero d'Avola. It was very nice. I believe the price was $32.
We also had delicious desserts, and I had a cup espresso.
Our server, April, was very nice.
The name Ortygia evokes fond memories for my wife and me because we spent several days with two other couples in the charming Sicilian waterfront town of Ortygia. One evening, when we were dining at a waterfront restaurant called Le Papere, four Italian diners at a table next to us were singing as one of them played the guitar. One of our friends, who is Italian-American asked if he might play the guitar. (He is an accomplished singer and guitarist.) They invited him to do so, and we all began singing. It was a terrific evening - friends, great food, wonderful wine, and perfect temperatures - bellissima!
Friday, November 4, 2016
A Meal From Four Regions of Italy - the Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscany, and Umbria
My wife and I recently hosted a lunch for friends with whom we had enjoyed a wonderful trip to Italy. We decided to serve a meal with one dish from each of the Italian regions we had visited with them. The wines we served were from some of the same regions. The dishes we served were:
- Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) from Venice
- Tilemakers' Beef Stew (Peposo dei Fornaciari dell'Impruneta) from the small town of Impruneta in Tuscany. (This can be made a day in advance.)
- Asparagus, Peas, and Basil (Piselli con Asparagi e Basilico)
- Walnut Cake with Zabaglione (Torta di Noci con Zabaglione)
My wife learned to make the dessert in a cooking class at Verduno Castle (Castello di Verduno - http://castellodiverduno.com/) where our group stayed in the Barolo area of the Piedmont.
I served two red wines and one white wine. The reds were from two wineries we visited during the trip:
- Fiulot Barbera d'Asti red from the Prunotto Winery in Asti in the Piedmont
- 2007 Poggio Antico Altero Brunello. from the Poggio Antico winery which we visited during our trip and which is near Montalcino, Tuscany. This is a very special red, deservedly rated 98 points by James Suckling.
- Cren del'Ape Cortese white wine from the Piedmont.
I highly recommend a visit to the Poggio Antico winery. The wines are incredible and the views of the Tuscan countryside are superb. There is also a very nice restaurant located there. The owner, Paolo Gloder, is terrific. When I sent the winery a short-notice request for a fact sheet on the wine just 12 hours before the lunch, the response was immediate.
I have posted the recipes for the appetizer, the main dish, and the side dish.
- Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) from Venice
- Tilemakers' Beef Stew (Peposo dei Fornaciari dell'Impruneta) from the small town of Impruneta in Tuscany. (This can be made a day in advance.)
- Asparagus, Peas, and Basil (Piselli con Asparagi e Basilico)
- Walnut Cake with Zabaglione (Torta di Noci con Zabaglione)
My wife learned to make the dessert in a cooking class at Verduno Castle (Castello di Verduno - http://castellodiverduno.com/) where our group stayed in the Barolo area of the Piedmont.
I served two red wines and one white wine. The reds were from two wineries we visited during the trip:
- Fiulot Barbera d'Asti red from the Prunotto Winery in Asti in the Piedmont
- 2007 Poggio Antico Altero Brunello. from the Poggio Antico winery which we visited during our trip and which is near Montalcino, Tuscany. This is a very special red, deservedly rated 98 points by James Suckling.
- Cren del'Ape Cortese white wine from the Piedmont.
I highly recommend a visit to the Poggio Antico winery. The wines are incredible and the views of the Tuscan countryside are superb. There is also a very nice restaurant located there. The owner, Paolo Gloder, is terrific. When I sent the winery a short-notice request for a fact sheet on the wine just 12 hours before the lunch, the response was immediate.
I have posted the recipes for the appetizer, the main dish, and the side dish.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Asparagus, Peas, and Basil - An Easy Umbrian Side Dish
In searching for a side dish from the Umbria Region of Italy, I found this delicious and easy recipe for Asparagus, Peas, and Basil (Piselli con Asparagi e Basilico) on epicurious.com (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/asparagus-peas-and-basil-em-piselli-con-asparagi-e-basilico-em-242035). It should serve 6. I served it with a Tuscan beef stew - Peposo dei Fornaciari dell'Impruneta - which I described in a previous post.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- peas, fresh or frozen (3/4 pound shelled fresh peas, or 1 & 3/4 pound in pods or 10 ounces of thawed frozen peas - I used the thawed frozen peas.)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- about 3/4 cup of torn fresh basil leaves
Directions
Cook shallots in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender - about 4 minutes.
Stir in asparagus, peas, sea salt, then seal skillet with foil. (Rather than the foil, I simply used a tight cover for the skillet.) Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, but still slightly al dente - about 8 minutes.
Stir in basil and sea salt.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- peas, fresh or frozen (3/4 pound shelled fresh peas, or 1 & 3/4 pound in pods or 10 ounces of thawed frozen peas - I used the thawed frozen peas.)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- about 3/4 cup of torn fresh basil leaves
Directions
Cook shallots in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender - about 4 minutes.
Stir in asparagus, peas, sea salt, then seal skillet with foil. (Rather than the foil, I simply used a tight cover for the skillet.) Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, but still slightly al dente - about 8 minutes.
Stir in basil and sea salt.
Shrimp with Rosemary and Pancetta - a Venetian Appetizer
Venice, Italy is well known for a type of bar snack called cicchetti, which are similar to Spanish tapas. In looking for an appetizer recipe from Venice, I found this delicious and easy recipe from Saveur magazine (http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Gamberi-al-Rosmarino). The Italian name is Gamberi al Rosmarino.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 16 medium shrimp. (I used 24 medium shrimp already peeled and deveined.)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used a Cortese wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy.)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary, stemmed
- 1 medium tomato, cored, seeded and finely chopped. (I think it would also work nicely with chopped cherry tomatoes. That might be a bit faster.)
- Crusty bread for serving. I used a baguette, coated with olive oil and baked at 450° for about 7 minutes
Directions
Heat pancetta and oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp - 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a plate.
Add garlic to skillet and cook for 1 minute.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Cook until pink - about 2 minutes.
Add wine, rosemary, and tomato. Cook until wine is reduced by half - 2 to 3 minutes. (In my case, it took 5 minutes.)
Sprinkle with pancetta and serve with the bread.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 16 medium shrimp. (I used 24 medium shrimp already peeled and deveined.)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used a Cortese wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy.)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary, stemmed
- 1 medium tomato, cored, seeded and finely chopped. (I think it would also work nicely with chopped cherry tomatoes. That might be a bit faster.)
- Crusty bread for serving. I used a baguette, coated with olive oil and baked at 450° for about 7 minutes
Directions
Heat pancetta and oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp - 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a plate.
Add garlic to skillet and cook for 1 minute.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Cook until pink - about 2 minutes.
Add wine, rosemary, and tomato. Cook until wine is reduced by half - 2 to 3 minutes. (In my case, it took 5 minutes.)
Sprinkle with pancetta and serve with the bread.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Paccheri or Rigatoni Pasta with Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream
This pasta dish takes a bit of time, but it's not difficult and I think it's worth the effort. The recipe was created by the husband and wife chef team of Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre of Minneapolis, and published in Bon Appetit (http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/paccheri-pasta-with-braised-chicken-and-saffron-cream)
The original recipe serves 4-6, but I modified it to serve 2-3. It takes about 2 hours to prepare and cook.
Paccheri and rigatoni are both short, wide tubular pastas. Paccheri the shorter of the two. It is originally from the Campania and Calabria regions of southwestern Italy. In Sarasota, paccheri can be purchased at Peperonata Pasta on South Tamiami Trail. Peperonata makes its own paccheri.
The story goes that paccheri was originally created to smuggle Italian garlic into Austria after Austrian farmers convinced their government to ban the import of the more flavorful Italian garlic.
Ingredients
- 12 oz boneless chicken breast (the original calls for thighs with skin and bones. I took the easier and probably less flavorful approach.) I cut this thick chicken breast into quarters before cooking.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 1 cup (or more) dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed. (Publix carries a small package of saffron threads for $6.19 in the spice section.)
- 1 & 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 6 oz. of paccheri or rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, skin-side down if you use thighs. Cook until golden brown - about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to plate.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook until onions are slightly softened - 7 to 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron and bring to a boil.
3. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by less than half - about 8 minutes. Add 1 & 1/4 cups of the the 1 & 1/2 cups of chicken broth.
4. Return chicken to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until chicken is very tender (adjust heat to prevent boiling, and turn chicken over after 30 minutes), about 1 hour total. Transfer chicken to plate and cool.
5. Reserve skillet with juices. If using thighs, remove skin and bones and toss. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Place in medium bowl and reserve.
6. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender, but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and return to pot.
7. If using thighs, spoon and discard any fat from the juices in the skillet. Add heavy cream to juices in the skillet and boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon - about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through - about 5 minutes, stirring in an additional 1/4 cup chicken broth if needed to add a bit of sauce and an additional teaspoon of lemon juice, if desired. (I added the broth but not more juice.) Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the chicken and sauce mixture to the pasta in the pot, and toss to coat. Stir in the basil.
The original recipe serves 4-6, but I modified it to serve 2-3. It takes about 2 hours to prepare and cook.
Paccheri and rigatoni are both short, wide tubular pastas. Paccheri the shorter of the two. It is originally from the Campania and Calabria regions of southwestern Italy. In Sarasota, paccheri can be purchased at Peperonata Pasta on South Tamiami Trail. Peperonata makes its own paccheri.
The story goes that paccheri was originally created to smuggle Italian garlic into Austria after Austrian farmers convinced their government to ban the import of the more flavorful Italian garlic.
Ingredients
- 12 oz boneless chicken breast (the original calls for thighs with skin and bones. I took the easier and probably less flavorful approach.) I cut this thick chicken breast into quarters before cooking.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 1 cup (or more) dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed. (Publix carries a small package of saffron threads for $6.19 in the spice section.)
- 1 & 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 6 oz. of paccheri or rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, skin-side down if you use thighs. Cook until golden brown - about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to plate.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook until onions are slightly softened - 7 to 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron and bring to a boil.
3. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by less than half - about 8 minutes. Add 1 & 1/4 cups of the the 1 & 1/2 cups of chicken broth.
4. Return chicken to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until chicken is very tender (adjust heat to prevent boiling, and turn chicken over after 30 minutes), about 1 hour total. Transfer chicken to plate and cool.
5. Reserve skillet with juices. If using thighs, remove skin and bones and toss. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Place in medium bowl and reserve.
6. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender, but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and return to pot.
7. If using thighs, spoon and discard any fat from the juices in the skillet. Add heavy cream to juices in the skillet and boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon - about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through - about 5 minutes, stirring in an additional 1/4 cup chicken broth if needed to add a bit of sauce and an additional teaspoon of lemon juice, if desired. (I added the broth but not more juice.) Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the chicken and sauce mixture to the pasta in the pot, and toss to coat. Stir in the basil.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts, White Wine, and Prosciutto
This is an easy and delicious dish that I created and that serves two.
Ingredients (in the sequence in which they're used)
- 4 oz. of spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used a chardonnay)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- small jar can of artichoke hearts (I used a 7.5 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts)
- 1/4 cup pitted and chopped olives (I used castelvetrano green olives)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 to 2 oz finely chopped prosciutto (I used Citterio prechopped prosciutto, which comes in 4 oz. packages. I typically mix it into salads)
- 1 to 2 tbsp of very high quality extra virgin olive oil. (I used Persian lime flavored oil.) This is to pour over finished pasta.
Directions
1. Pasta
Cook pasta until al dente, per package directions. Drain and put in serving bowl.
2. Sauce
a. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat
b. Sauté onion and garlic for 5 minutes
c. Add white wine, lemon juice, and artichoke hearts. Cook for 3 minutes.
d. Add olives, capers, and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes. Wine and lemon juice will have evaporated.
e. Spoon over pasta and mix. Then sprinkle prosciutto and olive oil over pasta and mix again.
Ingredients (in the sequence in which they're used)
- 4 oz. of spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used a chardonnay)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- small jar can of artichoke hearts (I used a 7.5 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts)
- 1/4 cup pitted and chopped olives (I used castelvetrano green olives)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 to 2 oz finely chopped prosciutto (I used Citterio prechopped prosciutto, which comes in 4 oz. packages. I typically mix it into salads)
- 1 to 2 tbsp of very high quality extra virgin olive oil. (I used Persian lime flavored oil.) This is to pour over finished pasta.
Directions
1. Pasta
Cook pasta until al dente, per package directions. Drain and put in serving bowl.
2. Sauce
a. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat
b. Sauté onion and garlic for 5 minutes
c. Add white wine, lemon juice, and artichoke hearts. Cook for 3 minutes.
d. Add olives, capers, and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes. Wine and lemon juice will have evaporated.
e. Spoon over pasta and mix. Then sprinkle prosciutto and olive oil over pasta and mix again.
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