I’ll Drink to That!

One of my all time favorite meats is pork tenderloin. There are so many ways to prepare it and it is always tender and juicy whether you grill or roast them whole or pan fry slices. This last Sunday I had to be out all day so it was the perfect opportunity to try a recipe that called for marinating for a few hours. It was ready for cooking when I got home with only the sides to get prepared.

HONEY-MARINATED PORK WITH GREMOLATA

CORNBREAD DRESSING

GREEN BEANS WITH RED ONIONS AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Honey-Marinated Pork w/Gremolata on a bed of Cornbread Dressing

CORNBREAD DRESSING:

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed cornbread, toasted - (1 box Trader Joe’s Cornbread Mix can be used instead)

1/4 cup butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large brown onion, diced

5 ribs of celery, sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced sage

about 1/4 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

1/4 cup white wine or 3 Tbsp Jack Daniels

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Approx 4 cups chicken stock

Method:

In large saute pan over med high heat, sweat onions in butter and olive oil till opaque. Add celery and apple and continue to cool till just tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Add sage and seasoning mix from TJ’s mix, if using. If not, along with sage and Creole Seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 1 Tbsp dried parsley. Add wine and about 2 cups of chicken stock, cranberries and pecans and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl, mix bread cubes and vegetable mixture along with enough additional chicken stock to moisten, but not too mushy. Season again to taste with salt and pepper and more Creole Seasoning. Place in buttered casserole baking dish and bake at 375 degrees along with pork till heated through and slightly crusty on top.

GREEN BEANS WITH RED ONIONS:

2 12 oz bags of frozen french style green beans

1 lg red onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp honey

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

In medium saute pan with olive oil and butter, slowly cook onion till deeply browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add honey, balsamic and pinch of salt and cook 1 minute more, stirring. Season with pepper. Can be prepared ahead and set aside.

Cook green beans in boiling salted water just till heated through. Drain immediately and well and add to pan with onions, mixing well. Cook over med heat till warmed. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a bit more Creole Seasoning. ( I put this stuff in everything!)

Presentation: Slice tenderloins and lay overlapping on top of cornbread dressing in casserole. Pour juices from pan over meat then sprinkle with gremolata. Serve with green beans and some really good fresh bread. Pour a full bodied Zinfandel.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Tobin James Fatboy Zinfandel, 2007 - ($55) - The name says it all. This wine is full-bodied, rich and jammy with flavors of star anise and blackberry, and a velvety vanilla finish. This is Paso Zin, folks, not for the meek and mild. Made from grapes sourced from some of the most famous Zinfandel vineyards in Paso Robles, with some being from 50 year old or older vines.  Cheers!

A couple of posts ago, (see Larner Vineyards), I mentioned that when I  tasted the 2007 Montage Grenache/Syrah, I detected a figgy quality that inspired me to buy a bottle for a future dinner menu. I created a fig sauce that I have since used on not only grilled veal chops, but chicken with pancetta and pork loin as well, all with delicious results.

MENU

Grilled Veal Chops with Fig Balsamic Sauce(see recipe below)

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic, Caramelized Leeks and Mascarpone Cheese

Pancetta Green Beans

Nectarine and Almond Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream and Amaretto

FIG SAUCE:

Olive oil

10-12 fresh figs, thinly sliced

1 large shallot, minced

12 oz chicken broth

3 Tbsp F.R.O.G. Jam (fig,raspberry,orange, ginger marmalade - available from Cider Creek Bakery   805/238-4144)

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tbsp orange juice

1/2 tsp bruised dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute figs and shallot in olive oil till softened. Add chicken broth, jam and balsamic vinegar and thyme. Simmer till figs are soft and sauce has reduced. Add orange juice,  salt and pepper. Simmer one more minute. Pour over grilled chops.

Note: Please don’t hesitate to order the F.R.O.G. Jam. It won’t go to waste. My friend and I use it in many of our recipes. Use it to top a baked brie or in a BBQ sauce. See the recipe for pork grillers in the post, Navarro Vineyards.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Montage Vineyards - Grenache/Syrah - 2007

This is a rich well rounded wine, the Grenache being from Larner Vineyards in Ballard Canyon. And it did pair beautifully with the veal and fig sauce.