The artichokes and carrots would be roasted with some sort of protein. Chicken? No. Pork tenderloin? Yes. We'll need some sort of starch -- oh, maybe those cool-looking potatoes I bookmarked forever ago? Rhubarb! We need some sort of rhubarb for dessert -- a crumble? A Buckle? A slump? (Heh, slump.) Stewed and spooned over vanilla ice cream? Maybe. Or layered on the bottom of a cake -- a rhubarb upside down cake. Ding, ding, ding. More on that cake later.
And so, last weekend, we sat down with our friends Colin and Anne and had a little spring feast. And it was good.
The star of the meal was a pork tenderloin slathered in a mustard-herb paste and roasted with baby artichokes and carrots and shallots. I served it with those funny ruffled Hasselback potatoes, and because potatoes need gravy, a little jus from the tenderloin. The whole thing was rustic and satisfying and reminded me of how perfect pork tenderloin is for dinner parties. Yeah, it's a little dated, I suppose but it's easier than roasting a chicken (which is pretty damn easy) and the perfect blank canvas for all sorts of flavors.
The tenderloin weighed a pound and a half and disappeared pretty quickly, so if you're serving more people double the recipe. Or if you want leftovers, which I wish I had the next day, plan accordingly and thank yourself later.
Spring is a time for new beginnings and this dinner party felt like a renewal of sorts. I will make more time for my friends, I will buy fresh flowers for the house more often, I will remember to throw open the windows and take a big breath of spring air. After the pollen subsides, anyway.
First spring dinner
Radishes and asparagus with basil aioli
Fried chickpeas with paprika
Herb and mustard pork tenderloin with baby artichokes, shallots and baby carrots
Hasselback potatoes
Rhubarb upside down cake with whipped cream
Herb and mustard pork tenderloin with baby artichokes, shallots and baby carrots and jusSlightly adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious. Less garlic, less meat, more carrots. I recommend making the artichokes the day before or well in advance of dinnertime to cut down on prep.
(Serves 4 people)
2 lemons
10 garlic cloves; 4 peeled, 6 unpeeled
1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
18 fresh baby artichokes (about 1 3/4 pounds)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1 1/2 lb. boneless pork tenderloin
10 baby carrots, peeled and trimmed
10 small shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
To make the mustard-herb rub:
Grate enough lemon peel (yellow part only) from 1 lemon to measure 1 teaspoon. Grind lemon peel and 4 peeled garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme salt, and pepper in mortar with pestle or in mini processor until paste forms. Add mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper; mix until blended. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Cut peeled lemon in half. Fill large
saucepan 2/3 full of water. Squeeze 1 lemon
half into water; add squeezed lemon half
to saucepan. Sprinkle water with salt and
bring to boil.
Working with 1 artichoke at a time, use a sharp paring knife to cut off the top 1/3 of each artichoke. Break off dark outer leaves until only pale green-yellow leaves remain. Using a vegetable peeler (or paring knife), trim stem and any uneven parts around heart. Rub cut edges with second peeled lemon half.
Place the artichokes in a saucepan of boiling salted water with lemon. Cook until artichokes are tender when pierced with knife, about 8 minutes. Drain, pat dry and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
To make the pork:
Coat a large cast iron skillet (or large roasting pan) with nonstick spray or a little canola oil. Place the pork in the pan and rub the mustard paste all over it. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Coat a large cast iron skillet (or large roasting pan) with nonstick spray or a little canola oil. Place the pork in the pan and rub the mustard paste all over it. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place the cooked artichokes, 6 unpeeled
garlic cloves, shallots, carrots and oil in medium
bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to
coat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast pork until
crust begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350°F. Arrange vegetable
mixture around pork. Roast until instant-read
thermometer inserted into center of
roast registers 145°F and vegetables are
tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer pork to a platter or cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm
and let rest 15 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer
the vegetables to a bowl; cover to
keep warm. Place the skillet (or roasting pan) directly
on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add wine and bring to simmer, scraping
up any browned bits with wooden spoon.
Simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about
3 minutes. Add chicken broth; simmer
until reduced to scant 1/2 cup jus, about
3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut pork into 3/4-inch-thick slices;
arrange on platter with the vegetables. Spoon the jus on the pork and serve at the table for people to pass.
3 comments:
That looks awesome. I'm saving this recipe for when i throw a dinner party
Is the Hasselback potato the token conservative of the tuber family?
Hahaha -- I totally appreciate the above comment. I need to resolve to make those potatoes too!
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