Coconut Milk Braised Pork Tenderloin

In our attempt to find a way to combine coconut milk and pork tenderloin we came across many recipes for milk-braised pork loin, which apparently is a pretty popular dish.  It sounds strange, I know, but the result is very tender pork with a rich creamy sauce.   The sauce in our version wasn't as thick as expected, most likely from the use of coconut milk instead of regular milk or cream.  But it gave the dish a very unique flavor along with the cardamom pods and cinnamon.  With a side of roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked potato, it was quite a tasty meal!

Ingredients:

• 1 pork tenderloin (1-1.5 lbs) or two small tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup milk 
• 4 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
• 4 sage leaves

Directions:
Pat the pork dry and season well with salt and pepper.  Spread the mustard over the exterior.  

In a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high and sear the pork on all sides until it is well browned.  Our tenderloin was so large we had to cut it in half and do this in two batches.  

Next, pour both milks into the dutch oven along with the garlic, cinnamon, cardamom and sage.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until your thermometer reaches 140 degrees F, rotating the pork every 5 minutes.  

Remove the pork to a plate and tent with foil while you reduce the sauce.  Bring the sauce to a medium boil, stirring often.  

After 10-15 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and sage.  Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until all the garlic is smooth.  Taste the sauce for salt and serve over the sliced pork.  The sauce was delicious on top of the baked potato too.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts and Anchovies

Roasted Brussels sprouts are delicious on their own, but when we saw this recipe on the Food & Wine website (contributed by Michael Symon) we had to try it.  The sauce that is mixed into the roasted Brussels sprouts is sweet, salty, and tangy and adds amazing flavor to the vegetables.  It was so good we made it twice in one week!  You can adjust the amount of sauce you use on depending on how strong you want them to be flavored.  Any leftover sauce would also be great with cooked broccoli. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved or quartered
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• One ounce of anchovies (I used about 6 out of an oil-packed jar of anchovies)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with 3 tablespoons  olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the Brussels sprouts on a large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender and charred in spots.

 

Toast the walnuts in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside when done.  To make the sauce, combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined and emulsified.  

Mix the sauce in with the cooked Brussels sprouts and add the toasted walnuts.  Don't add all of the sauce at once- you may not need it all. 

Warm French Lentils with Mustard Vinaigrette

Lentils are not something I grew up enjoying... in fact I remember my mom making lentil soup and I refused to even try it.  The smell, the color, the fact that they are healthy.. all reasons I wasn't interested.  They've never really made it into my adult cooking palette until now- thanks to Ina Garten.  I was watching Barefoot Contessa and she made these warm French lentils that looked so amazing I just had to try it.  I spotted some French lentils at the Chelsea Market on a trip to NYC, and finally made the recipe last night.  There were a couple unique things about the recipe that caught my eye when I watched Ina make it.  Along with the lentils and water, she put a clove-stuffed onion and a turnip to give them a unique flavor.  The flavored lentils are mixed in with the sauteed celery and onion, and topped with the sweet mustard vinaigrette to create one super flavorful lentil dish.  Now that I'm a fan of lentils, I can't wait to find more great recipes!

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 large shallot, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 peeled onion, stuck with 6 cloves

1 turnip, peeled and halved

4-6 cups water

1 cup French lentils

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a skillet, heat the first two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrot and shallot with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until they are softening.  Add the garlic and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.  Set to the side.  

Meanwhile, in a medium-large sauce pan combine the lentils, onion, turnip, and water with a teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes or until lentils are cooked through without being mushy.  At this point, drain the lentils and return to the pot off the heat.  

Mix the vegetables in.  In a small bowl, combine the remaining oil, mustard, and red wine vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Whisk to combine, and then pour the vinaigrette over the warm lentils and mix.  

The lentils will absorb the flavors immediately because of their heat.  Taste for more salt and pepper.  The vinaigrette provides a nice acidic touch to the dish and the flavor of the cloves really comes through in the background.  Serve as a side dish with fish, chicken, or pork.  We had it with a salmon recipe similar to this one and it was delicious!