Saturday, November 17, 2007

How in Sam Hill....?

How in Sam Hill do I run out of olive oil???

It happened, but... there was just enough to do the pork last night, with the added help of some butter, and that was a treat indeed.

So I softened some onions in the remnants of the olive oil and a little bit of butter. Removed, and added the pork tenderloin (studded with garlic spears) and seared it well. Removed and deglazed the pan with some red wine. Everything went back into the pan including salt, pepper, sage and marjoram and some water. It was really just the way I do my lamb shanks, but with my favourite s. and m. instead of rosemary. I let it cook for ages. The scent was heavenly... sweet, porky, buttery... sheer heaven. I removed the loin, sliced it on a diagonal and put the slices back into the pan to cook a bit more and soak up more of the juices. It was melt in the mouth when at last I got to eat dinner, with a beautiful sauce.

Darlinks, I am highly recommendink!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You sure like your pork.

Anonymous said...

Yes, but it's such a bland meat, it needs a lot of help I find. I much prefer lamb. I mean, if I suddenly was told I would never eat pork again, that would be cool. Lamb... a very different matter. I haven't eaten beef in ages. Chicken on occasion, and - believe it or not - a lot of vegetarian meals. You like pork, Anonymous?

Anonymous said...

Pork marries very well with the Mediterranean seasonings.

I have lately cooked pork loin and pork roasts this way: Defrost overnight. In the morning, wash, dry, and rub with dried oregano, thyme, sprinkle black pepper, garlic powder or diced garlic cloves....place in slowcooker with a wee bit of water, cover, and set on 3 or 4 setting.

Fast forward 10 hours: Arrive home to a heavenly, mouth watering aroma. The meat is so unbelievably tender and tasty....

Blog princess, if you dont have a slow cooker/crockpot, you might seriously consider getting one....

Anonymous said...

I don't have one... and you are the second person in two days to extoll the virtues. Hmmmm...

Anonymous said...

Oh! I forgot to add---that indisputable addition to all Greek cooking: lemon. All greek meats, poultry, and fish, no matter how cooked or seasoned, is served at table with a half a fresh cut lemon. Squeeze generously, and enjoy.

Anonymous said...

One of the best things about slow cookers,in my opinion, is how they elevate the humble can of soup to the heights of great taste. Two recent examples: Cream of chicken soup (undiluted), dolloped over slices of raw potato, topped with cheese. Slow-cook for only a couple of hours and voila--a tasty scalloped potato.

Take some chicken pieces, place in slow cooker along with one of your choice of --cream of-- celery, mushroom, chicken, or wild mushroom soup. That's it. Cook all day. The soup turns into a really yummy gravy. When you get home, simply boil and mash some potatoes and voila--you have the tastiest gravy at hand.

Anonymous said...

I don't cook. I have dozens and dozens of cookbooks, but I don't cook. I love to eat, but I don't cook. I have all the accutrements in the kitchen, but I don't cook.

Thank God I have many good friends (Blog Princess included) who cook. I was encouraged by Ange's dead-easy recipes because I have a crockpot that has never been used and I just may have to "cook."

Anonymous said...

Was that a Popeye quote?

Anonymous said...

Which one?

Anonymous said...

*WARNING!* the 3 and 4 setting was too high for my last pork roast. Came home and found the meat sticking to the bottom of the pan and the bottom of the meat hardened. Oops! Must remember that this is cooking for 10 hours so a lower setting is called for.

I am at home today, but wanting to be free for other things, I cut up 6 different veggies --potato, celery, carrot, onion, green beans-- along with fresh garlic cloves, and put them in the crock pot with a can of Aylmer italian stewed tomatoes and various seasonings 9garlic powder, dried parsley, etc. On top of everything I laid 5 pieces of chicken: skinless drumsticks and breast.

After about 3 hours, there was so much juice in the crock pot that I drained most of it. I got about a cup and a half of tomato-seasoned juice and so I put that into a saucepot with a can of baby fava beans. Voila---a starter course: bean soup.

Lowered the setting on the crockpot and going to let it simmer the rest of the afternoon, or until the celery softens...whichever comes first.

Will be thus free around the supper hour to do more important things, like play (and win!) a game or two of scrabble...