A Weeknight Dinner

I've gradually gotten back into cooking, first in my trusty office chair, then standing on one leg, and now, finally, I'm back on my two feet! Hubband and I worked together to make this a few weeks ago, while I was still on one leg. He made it possible for us to eat outside in the garden, which was a huge treat for me, having been stuck in the house so long! 

We shared one of the thick NY Strips that I butchered up and individually froze; Hubband grilled it after we concocted a dry rub of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, clove, chili powder, and cayenne. The rub turned into a flavorful crust after a meeting with the grill, and I sliced it and laid it alongside some simply roasted Brussels sprouts (olive oil, salt, and pepper) and our surprise side of the night. I don't even know what to call it, but it really ended up being the star of the dinner! I thinly sliced a yellow onion and caramelized it along with two zucchini that needed to be used up. When they were soft and browned, I added a minced garlic clove, a tiny minced jalapeno from our garden, fresh thyme, and a half can of creamed corn leftover from corn muffins, then finished with a little butter and pepper. The corn added wonderful sweetness that played with the caramelized vegetables, but the little hint of garlic and spice kept a great balance.

It was a great weeknight dinner!

Zucchini-Onion Side Dish

Not only does this dish lack a snazzy name, I don't have an exact recipe, as this was yet another case of me making something up on the fly with whatever I had. This should be close enough. 

1 med. yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 med. zucchini, thinly sliced width-wise

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced jalapeno, seeds and rib removed

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 can of creamed corn

1 Tb butter, unsalted

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Place a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spray with a little nonstick spray or add about 1 Tb olive oil, and add onions. When they are translucent and beginning to brown around the edges, add the zucchini slices. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onions and zucchini are both deeply browned and limp. Add garlic, jalapeno, and thyme leaves and stir until fragrant. Add creamed corn and heat through, then stir in butter to finish. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Planning, Shmanning.

Do you ever look around and wonder "Where did today go?" You realize that while it would be nice to have dinner ready in the next hour or so, you haven't been to the store, and haven't taken anything out of the freezer? I know this has happened to you. It has, right? I can't be the only one! Just lie to me! Tell me it's happened to you too! 

Ok, I'm calm. This was one of those meals. A few weeks ago, I had one of those time-warp days, and I began to rummage in the freezer. The thought process went something like this: "Ah-hah! A pork tenderloin. A little quick-defrost and we'll be in business. Flavors? Hmmm." At this point the tenderloin gets put in to defrost while I scan the kitchen. "Ooh, got an apple. Apples are good with pork. Apple and onion...and that lonely-looking orange, I can use that too." A quick dive back into the freezer for a slice of home-cured pancetta, and I was beginning to feel like I could pull this off. 

I diced the pancetta (after another quick defrost) and relieved it of much of its precious, delicious, herb-tinged fat. Into this translucent goodness went a sliced yellow onion, and after the onions had turned golden and a little sweet, a cored, quartered, and sliced apple joined the party. Mustard seeds, pepper, and the juice of the lonely orange also jumped in the pool and happily simmered away as I sliced the pork tenderloin into medallions and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I poured the apple-onion mix into a bowl and set it aside, then seared the pork in the same pan. After both sides were browned, the apple-onion mixture was poured back in and the whole pan went in the oven for about 15 minutes, until my trusty meat thermometer said all was well. A splash of apple cider vinegar to balance the acidity, a side of broiled asapragus, and dinner was served. 

Not bad for a meal thrown together in a hurry. 

Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions

This dish reminds me of some sort of German or Alsatian food, and would be nice with a Riesling or other gentle white wine. If you're going to pair them, you might as well put a little of the wine into the apple-onion mix as it's cooking. Mmm. Fresh herbs like thyme or sage would also be nice additions. I use an electric oven, so change the oven technique as necessary if yours is gas. 

1 pork tenderloin, sliced into medallions, 2 1/2 " thick

1 thick slice of pancetta, about 2 oz

1 large apple (I used a Johnagold), cored, quartered, and sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 orange, juiced. (Feel free to add in a little of the zest as well.)

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds (Caraway seeds would be nice here as well, substitute as you see fit)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tb apple cider vinegar

Dice the pancetta and place in a large cold skillet, then place skillet over medium heat. Render the fat and cook the pancetta until it is golden, then remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Place the sliced onion in the skillet with the reserved pancetta fat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden. Add the apple and continue to cook. The apple will release quite a bit of juice; use this to scrape up the tasty browned fond on the bottom of the pan. As the apples are getting softer, add the mustard seeds, pepper, and orange juice (and zest, if using). Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the apples begin to get tender. We don't want them falling apart or dissolving. Pour this mixture into a bowl and set aside. Season the pork with salt and pepper, bring the skillet up to temperature and spray with non-stick spray. Turn on the broiler in your oven. Add the pork and sear until it takes on a nice browned color, then flip and repeat. After the pork has been seared, pour the apple-onion mixture back in the pan with it and place on a rack in the lower third of the oven. We want the hot temperature of the broiler, but don't want the food to be too close to the heating element. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers around 155 F. The meat will continue to cook after you pull it out of the oven. Add the apple cider vinegar and reserved pancetta, stir, carefully taste, and add salt or pepper if you deem necessary. 

A Taste of Summer

I've always been the kind of person that craves. When I was young, if I really wanted a certain breakfast cereal, and we were all out, I didn't stop thinking about it until the next trip to the store. (Sorry Mom, that had to be annoying.) Sometimes a mouthful is really all I need; just a single taste of that one deeply wanted thing is enough. Chocolate is a perfect example. If I really want some chocolate, and I can't stop thinking about it, I can go to the pantry, pop 4 or 5 little chocolate chips in my mouth, and that's it. Craving satisfied, crisis averted. I plan a menu for the week based on what I think I might want, but it's flexible. If a craving hits, I try to satisfy it, within reason. Ignoring it has never really worked out, but for some reason, I still try. 

For a few weeks in July, I couldn't stop thinking about watermelon. Not just a chunk of watermelon though...I wanted watermelon with red onions, and some firm, salty cheese. With a tang of vinegar, maybe. I had no idea where this concept of flavors was coming from, and it seemed a little odd to me, so I attempted to ignore it...totally unsuccessfully. Every trip to the store, I lingered near the melons. I picked up red onions for quesadillas but couldn't put them in the basket without thinking of my salad. Finally, just before the end of the month, I realized that I had had a salad similar to my watermelon daydream at a restaurant here in Orlando...the restaurant we were planning on eating at that very week! I had had it just over a year before, and forgotten all about it until suddenly that mix came into my mind. Unfortunately for me, that salad was no longer on their often-changing seasonal menu, but it was compensated for by some of the best heirloom tomatoes I've ever had. 

Finally, I gave in, bought a little seedless watermelon, and made my salad. It was so light, summery, and refreshing that I made it again two days later for Hubband. And then I bought another watermelon and made it again yesterday for lunch. It's so simple that there isn't a real recipe, just a list of ingredients. 

Watermelon Salad

Inspired by the California Grill

Watermelon, seedless, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Tender greens: I used mache, but try baby spinach or arugula too!

Firm, slightly salty cheese: I used ricotta salata, but feta would also be nice. 

Red onion: sliced as thinly as possible

Sherry vinegar

Toss the washed greens with the cubed watermelon, crumbled or shredded cheese, and onion in proportions that look appetizing to you. Use less onion if you like, or more cheese. Sprinkle the salad with a little bit of salt, then drizzle it with some sherry vinegar. Start with just a little, and add more until you get to your desired level of 'zing'. Some herbs would also be nice: try adding mint or parsley!