Roast Pork with Herbes de Provence, Apples and Cider

This recipe is very loosely based around a Roast Pork and Cider recipe from the Brittany region of France, found in 'The World of Food: Provincial France' by Monique Guillaume.

I used a 1.1 lb pork tenderloin. Start by brining it in 5 cups of water and 3 tbsp salt. I left it in the brine for about 2 hrs (longer would have been better; overnight ideal), and then dried it off, cleaned it (removing the whitish 'silverskin' and most of the fat) and sprinkled it generously with salt, pepper and dried Herbes de Provence (a blend from the south of France, typically: basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme).

Take 3 large apples, remove the cores and cut each into 6 segments. Use these to line the bottom of a small (8x11 inch) roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and put a large pan (large enough to hold the whole tenderloin) on medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil to the pan, swirl it around and place the tenderloin in the pan. Leave it in long enough to sear (brown) the side in contact with the pan, then turn to sear the next 'side'. This took two turns for my tenderloin to sear 3 sides. Once seared all around, remove from the pan. Add 1.5 cups apple cider to the pan, and stir to dissolve any browned pieces on the bottom. Boil the cider for about 5 minutes, and then pour it over the apples in the roasting pan. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and put the pan in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then check for doneness, and roast longer if necessary. My 1.1 lb tenderloin took 40 minutes to reach well-done.

Once the pork is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes (remove from the roasting pan and set on a plate, covered loosely with foil). The resting allows the juices to distribute evenly through the meat, reducing the amount lost when you slice it.

I served the pork with garlic roasted potatoes and sauteed brussels sprouts. I drained the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and boiled it for about 5 minutes on high to reduce it, then swirled in about 1/2 tbsp of butter. This was then used to sauce the dish. It was enough food for 2 adults and a small child.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes - wash your potatoes (I figure one good-sized potato per person) and cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss with a generous slug of olive oil, some salt and pepper and a garlic clove (crushed and cut into small pieces). Pour everything into a small roasting dish (or onto a baking tray), and roast until tender (30-45 minutes).

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts - remove the bottom of the stem of each sprout. Remove and discard the outer darker green leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, and drop into boiling salted water. Allow to boil 5 minutes, then drain. Drop into a preheated pan with butter and a little seasoning. Saute until lightly browned.

Note #1: Brining the pork is not necessary, but it is recommended. It will give you juicier results.

Note #2: I used apple cider for this recipe. Hard (alcoholic) cider could be substituted if desired.

Note #3: I used red delicious apples. They were red but not so delicious.
I would recommend a more tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith) or maybe pears instead.

Note #4: Metric info: 1.1 lb = 500g; 1.5 cups = 350ml.

Pancakes

Today, by special request, pancakes!

It is preferable to weigh the flour (because even the same batch of flour can give you different volume measurements for the same weight), but I have provided a volume equivalent for those without scales.

Start by measuring 10 floz of milk, cracking and beating 1 egg and putting 1.5 oz (3 tbsp) butter in a pan over low heat to melt. I use the pan which I will be using to cook the pancakes (a large skillet). This accomplishes the additional task of greasing the pan. Allowing the milk and egg to come to room temperature will help with the mixing.

Next, measure 8 oz all-purpose flour (1.5 cups) into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix these dry ingredients together.

Now mix the wet ingredients - melted butter, milk and egg. Then stir the wet gently into the dry. Lumps are OK - do not over-mix. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

Now the mix is ready to use. Ladle out 1/4 cup (2 floz) portions into a preheated greased non-stick skillet (or onto a hot griddle). Medium heat usually works well.

Cook pancakes until the tops become quite bubbly and the bottoms are a light brown. Flip with a spatula and cook the second side until also light brown. Remove to a plate. Eat with Vermont maple syrup!

This recipe makes approximately 8 pancakes (I didn't measure the portions, hence the approximation).

Note 1 - There are endless variations to this recipe. You can replace part of the flour (I would suggest 2 oz) with a different type of flour (e.g. whole grain) for a different texture. You can also add fruit (bananas and blueberries are favorites in my house) or chocolate chips - just push into the tops while you are cooking the first side. You can also substitute buttermilk for half of the milk for a more tangy flavor.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 10 floz = 300 ml; 2 floz = 60 ml; 8 oz = 225g; 2 oz = 55g.

This recipe is adapted from one in 'The Good Housekeeping Cookbook' of the same name.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is like a kind of Middle Eastern panzanella. It is a bulghur wheat salad with tomatoes and herbs, and I have been thinking about it for weeks. Time to make it...
Bulghur is a kind of broken wheat grain, and doesn't have to be boiled like most grains. Just boil some water in a kettle, pour it over 1 cup of bulghur in a heat-safe bowl, add a little salt, cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes (like you would cook couscous). Drain, cover with cold water to cool and drain again.
Dice 3 ripe tomatoes (slice, cut into strips and then across into cubes). Add to the drained bulghur with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 small garlic clove, chopped, 1 shallot, minced, 1 bunch parsley, chopped, a small bunch of mint, chopped, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a slug of olive oil, and mix well. Enjoy!

Postscript - We just ate the best tabbouleh ever at Pete's Place in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Their tabbouleh had no garlic or shallot, and way way less bulghur than mine (also less tomato) - it was almost entirely parsley, with some scallions, lemon, tomato and bulghur. I am thinking that it was a lot more authentic. So the next time I'll be changing things a little...

Hummus

Had a craving for hummus yesterday. We had some naan bread (not exactly a traditional accompaniment - pita would have been more authentic, but I'd eat hummus off any kind of bread...) sitting around, and some dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in the cupboard. So I soaked the chickpeas (about 5 oz) in cold water overnight in the fridge (cover with twice their volume of water). This morning I drained them, then simmered them in salted water until tender (I didn't time them, but it took at least 45 minutes). I then cooled them in cold water, and drained them again.

The cooked chickpeas went into the food processor with the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 small garlic clove, crushed, and 1.5 tbsp tahini (like a sesame seed version of peanut butter). Add a little salt and pepper, and a splash of water. Run the motor until the ingredients begin to form a smooth paste. Add a tiny bit more water if needed, but it should be thick and not entirely smooth at this point. Remove from the mixer bowl and, by hand, stir in about 1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin). Mix until it reaches a spreadable consistency, adding more oil if desired. Then taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (and lemon juice, if you wish). The hummus is now ready to spread on toasted flatbread. Enjoy!

Note 1 - Do not be tempted to use the food processor to mix in the olive oil as it tends to make it taste bitter. This is why it is preferable to stir it in at the end.

Note 2- Canned chickpeas can be substituted for cooked - treat them just the same. You can use one 14 oz can, drained.

Note 3 - Metric Info: 5 oz = 140g; 1/4 cup = 60ml; 14 oz = 400g.