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!

If you love potatoes, maybe too much, and are trying to stay away, try this recipe in place of mashed spuds. It’s really delicious, even to a carb fiend like me.

Mashed Cauliflower with Butternut Squash

MASHED CAULIFLOWER WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Ingredients:

1 large head of white cauliflower, core removed and cut into large florets

1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2″ pieces

2-3 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp minced fresh sage

3 Tbsp grated parmesan

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or goat gouda

Salt and pepper to taste

Toast squash in 425 degree oven till golden and tender, about 30-40 minutes, turning half way through cooking time.

Cook cauliflower in rapidly boiling salted water till tender, but not falling apart. Drain well. Add roasted squash to pot and mash till it looks like large crumbs. Mixture should not be smooth. Stir in butter then rest of ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Great with ribs or steak and a medley of roasted root vegetables, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with crumbled goat cheese and a sprinkling of Herbs du Provence.

Beef ribs

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Tobin James Fat Boy Zinfandel - 2005 - Paso Robles

This bad boy weighs in at a whopping 16% alcohol and is thick, rich, jammy and over the top. A Paso Zin in all ways and perfect with any beef you are thinking of BBQ’ing, especially if you are using a sweet heat glaze like I used on these ribs.  Cheers!

This recipe was sent to me from Opolo Vineyards in Paso Robles. I’ve been a fan of their line-up of zins for a long time so this recipe sounds really good to me. I’ll be adding it to my Thanksgiving menu this year. I’ll let you know what I think of it - please let me know if you try it and what you think.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Opolo Mountain Zinfandel

2 cups sugar

2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

12 whole cloves

12 whole allspice

4 cinnamon sticks

2 - 3×1 inch strips orange peel

2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except cranberries, in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain syrup into large saucepan. Add cranberries t syrup and cook over medium heat until berries burst, about 6-8 minutes. Cool. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. keep refrigerated.)

Note from the winery: Unless your family really loves cranberry sauce, you might want to cut tis recipe in half.  The best part about doing that is that you’ll end of with half a bottle of Mountain Zinfandel left over to drink while you cook!  Happy Holidays!

I wish you all a joyful Thanksgiving - there is so very much to celebrate and be grateful for. I am thankful to all of you who have come along on this writing journey with me the last 5 months - I look forward to many more things to raise a glass to. I’ll Drink to That!

Opolo Mountain Zinfandel - 2007

The ‘07 Mountain Zinfandel is loaded with gobs of boysenberry, wild cherry  and blackberry. Rustic anise and ripe velvety tannins on the finish.