I'm a big fan of Sunday dinner. I love planning for it, shopping for it and slowly and delightfully cooking it. Today I'm making a slowly roasted pork tenderloin. Lately it's been so very snowy and when the weather turns wintry like this I long for a smell that says that all is well, the larders are full, the hearth is lit and the cats are happy. In my home such a day calls for a beautifully roasted piece of meat that I've laced with fresh herbs and fruit so here is my recipe for a lovely roasted pork tenderloin that is a delicious addition to a cold winters night.
This is a very simple recipe so feel free to have fun with it and make it your own! Take a sustainably raised pork tenderloin and rub it with a paste of garlic oil ,chili sauce, fresh rosemary, sea salt, pepper and sage and let it marinate for several hours. Layer a baking dish with slices of cappicola ham (either sweet or spicy will do depending upon your taste!) and lay the pork tenderloin on top of it.
Slice about 5 yukon gold potatoes into 1/2 inch slices and place them in a roasting pan. You'll also need a jar of whole peaches in light syrup, (the spiced ones are especially good and please reserve the syrup!) to layer in between the potatoes. Take a good sized red onion, and slice it thinly and sprinkle it all over the pork, potatoes and peaches. Slice a nice size bunch of green onions into about 2 inch pieces and sprinkle them all over top!
In a bowl place a cup of savory barbecue sauce, 6 cloves of crushed fresh garlic, about 1/3 cup of chopped crystallized ginger and about 1/4 of a cup of hoisin sauce. Stir into this mixture the reserved peach syrup and pour it all over the meat and vegetables. Roast for about 25 minutes per pound in a 350 degree oven, basting frequently. The meat will caramelize on the outside and is delicious . Let the pork sit for about 20 minutes before slicing. Arrange the slices of pork on a pretty platter with the onions, potatoes and peaches as a side garnish. On the stove whisk together 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of peach jam and 1 tablespoon of sweet sherry as a glaze and brush this over the top!
I serve this roast often with pumpkin soup, and a salad of roasted beets , arugula,red onion, a touch of creme fraiche and a bit of caviar. Another wonderful accompaniment would be a small plate of gnocchi dressed with olive oil, garlic, walnut's and spinach. I'm generally a wine drinker, but in this case the absolutely to die for Organic Apricot Ale from Sam'l Smith is the way to go. Just trust me on this one please! The fragrance is sheer and shimmering summertime in a bottle!
For fun this pork tenderloin will also make a wonderful hors d'eourve if you're in the habit of making your own potato chips! If you've never made your own potato chips before it's really fun and terribly easy. Bring some fresh peanut oil up to frying temperature (you'll know it because when you toss a test chip in it will instantly begin to bubble!) and slowly add potatoes that you have sliced very thinly and patted dry. Watch them and take them out of the oil when they are a little more than golden and drain them on a paper towel. That's all! Just take a fresh chip and put a shred of the pork loin on top of it with a dollop of a chutney made from caramelized onions, blue cheese and peaches. A fresh sage leaf and a bit of crystalized ginger completes this ambrosial treat!
Whatever you're eating tonight please remember to take the time to set the table, light some candles, play some music and enjoy your dinner slowly with someone special even if it's just yourself and the cat! No one deserves the kid glove treatment more than you and your family who will remember it long afterwards and besides absolutely nothing can make the heart warmer than a delicious meal savored slowly with those you love!
So what are you cooking today? Recipes please!