Roast Loin of Pork With Mustard Crust

pork

Ingredients:

Mustard Applesauce:

  • 2 cups favorite applesauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Mustard Coating:

  • 1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon favorite seasoning salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pork-loin roast (3 1⁄2 pounds), tied

Cognac Sauce:

  • 1⁄2 cup cognac
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Pinch coarsely ground white pepper
  • Parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. To prepare the applesauce, combine the applesauce and the mustard in a small serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
  2. To prepare the mustard coating, combine the mustard, mustard seeds, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.
  3. Heat an oven to 375 degrees. Place the roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Using plastic, disposable gloves, spread the mustard coating evenly all over the roast.
  4. Roast the pork for 1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 140 degrees. Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a carving board. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Place the roasting pan on the top of the stove.
  5. To prepare the cognac sauce, add the cognac and stock to the roasting pan, and increase the heat to high. Bring it to boil, scraping up the brown bits. Boil until the alcohol has burned off and the liquid is slightly reduced, for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream and mustard and bring to boil. Cook until slightly thickened, for about 2 minutes. Add the pepper and whisk well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Strain the sauce into a gravy boat or bowl.
  6. Remove the string from the roast and slice the pork. Arrange the slices on a platter and spoon over some of the cognac sauce. Garnish with parsley. Serve with the remaining cognac sauce and the applesauce on the side.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Whitefish Terrine with Beet-Horseradish Relish

SIMPLE

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons matzo meal
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock, fish stock, or water
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground whitefish or a mixture of whitefish, pike and buffalo fish
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Sauce:

  • 1 jar (5 ounces) prepared horseradish cream
  • 2 medium beets, cooked

Garnish:

  • Lemon slices
  • Parsley sprigs

Instructions

  1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9- by 5- by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the eggs with the matzo meal. When well combined, add the stock, fish, cooled carrots and onion, salt, pepper and sugar, and continue to beat until well blended.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Pick up the pan with both hands and slam it down on the counter to settle any air bubbles. Drizzle the lime juice over the top and sprinkle with the paprika. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Place the horseradish cream and cooked beets in a food processor and process until puréed. Transfer to a small container, cover and refrigerate.
  6. Remove the terrine from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Wrap in aluminum foil and chill overnight.
  7. Loosen the sides of the terrine from the pan by running a knife blade along the edges. Invert the terrine onto a plate, and then turn upright on a platter. Slice the terrine into 3/4-inch slices. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley and serve. Pass the beet-horseradish sauce separately.

Advance Preparation

Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.

Serves 10 to 12 people.

Pistachio and Dried Fruit Haroset

pistachio-and-dried-fruit-haroset

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted natural pistachios
  • 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/4 cup sweet Passover wine
  • 1/4 cup pure pomegranate juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Fresh mint sprigs (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Stir pistachios in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine dates, cherries, apricots, wine, and juice in medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Mix in honey, lemon juice, orange peel, and spices.
  4. Chop pistachios; mix into haroseth.
  5. Garnish haroseth with mint sprigs.

Advanced Preperation

This can be made a day ahead. Cover and chill.

Makes about 3 cups.

 

 

Cherry Clafoutis

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 3 cups pitted fresh sweet cherries or thawed, drained frozen cherries
  • 1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups half-and-half
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the bottom of the dish with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Spread the cherries in the bottom of the dish and bake for 10 minutes. There may be a lot of juice; do not drain. Set aside.
  2. While the cherries are cooking, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs with 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the half-and-half in 1 addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and stir to combine.
  3. Pour the batter over the cherries. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

Tips

  • Any variety of cherry is fine to use, though I tend to prefer Bing, Queen Anne or Rainier — the sweeter the better. Make sure to remove the stems and then pit them using a pitter. If you are really in a hurry, you can use frozen pitted cherries, but thoroughly defrost and drain them first.
  • The recipe can be served directly from an ovenproof baking dish, or you can cook it and serve it from any nonstick gratin dish or cast iron skillet that gives it a casual homey touch.
  • Use this recipe as a template for other seasonal fruits, such as apricots, peaches, plums, apples or pears.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Passover Recipes – Sweet Treat on the Seder Plate

Every year Jews from around the world congregate to celebrate Passover with a Seder. The evening begins with the reading of the Haggadah, which tells the story of how the enslaved Jews escaped Egypt. Along with the four cups of wine, the table is adorned with a Seder plate that includes a number of symbolic items. There are bitter herbs to commemorate the bitterness of their enslavement in Egypt, a roasted shank bone to remember the lamb offering, and spring herbs that are dipped into salt water to remind us of the tears that were shed. But what gets most of the attention on the Seder plate is the sweet charoset.

Charoset is a symbol of the mortar that the Jewish slaves used. It is one dish that kids and adults alike look forward to each year for its sweet nutty goodness. Charoset is a sweet relish of fruit and nuts that is bound together with honey and a bit of Passover wine. It has many different spellings and just as many versions, depending upon the country where you live.

Ashkenazi (eastern European) Jews make a simple apple and nut mix. Sephardic Jews (Spanish, Asian and African) enjoy their charoset with roasted mixed nuts and dried fruit, and it is often cooked. It looks like fruit compote with nuts. Jews from other countries add chilies, spices and even chestnuts.

For the Seriously Simple recipe, click here.

Apple and Toasted Walnut Charoset

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
  • 1 Granny Smith or other green apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons sweet Passover wine
  • Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add walnuts and toss gently over the heat until they begin to brown lightly and become fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Finely chop the walnuts.
  2. When the walnuts are cool, combine all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Can be made up to 4 hours ahead, covered and kept at room temperature. Just before serving toss to combine the ingredients and drain any excess liquid. Serve in a glass bowl garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Tips

If you want, use this recipe as a template for variation. Substitute for the apples with dried fruit such as figs, dates, apricots, cherries or cranberries. And instead of the walnuts, try a mixture of pistachios, cashews and almonds. Make sure to add the cinnamon, honey and wine. Don’t forget to toast the nuts to bring out their rich flavor and moisten the dried fruit with hot water or wine. With a food processor, puree or finely chop the nuts and then pulse in the fruit. Add the honey and spices and more wine, if needed. Watch how fast it disappears off the Seder plate.

Smoky Tomato Soup

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 leeks, light green and white parts only, cleaned and finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • Three (14 1/2-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juice
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 1/4 cups milk or half-and-half
  • Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco chipotle sauce, or to taste
  • 3/4 cup croutons, preferably cheese or garlic, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a medium soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, or until slightly softened.
  2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring constantly for a minute or until the flour is thickened and incorporated into the vegetables. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
  3. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and all the flavors are well blended. With an immersion blender, puree the soup, or if you prefer a finer texture, use a blender. (If using a blender, cool the soup so the top of the blender doesn’t come off. And hold the cover down so that there won’t be any unexpected surprises.) If you want your soup totally smooth, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer after you have blended it.
  4. Add the milk to the soup over medium heat, stirring to combine, and cook for another minute. Add the salt and chipotle sauce and taste for seasoning. If you prefer the soup thinner, add more milk or broth to reach the desired consistency.
  5. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish each bowl with a few croutons.

Advance Preperation

The soup may be prepared ahead through step 3, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost and warm the soup, and proceed with the recipe.

Tips

  • If you can’t find the chipotle variety, try adding a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
  • Another variation is to add a rind of Parmesan cheese to the soup while it is cooking. Remove the rind before adding the milk, and garnish each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • For a more substantial soup, add diced cooked chicken or cooked quinoa.
  • Serve this as a starter or as part of a main course, along with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich, bagel chips or garlic bread.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Quick Fried Rice Tips
  • Chilled, cooked rice is essential for the correct texture. If it is warm rice there will be too much moisture and the end-result will be mushy.
  • Have all ingredients cut up ahead and set out next to the cooktop.
  • Cook this in a wok; the wok must be very hot so that all will cook quickly.
  • Don’t skimp on the oil since you want the rice to fry rather than just be heated through.
  • Don’t crowd the pan. You can cook ingredients separately and then add back to the wok for the final cooking.
  • Let the each ingredient sear in the wok and do not touch it for at least 20 seconds before tossing it. This is important to develop the best color and texture.
  • For spicier flavor add some hot chili paste or hot sauce like Sriracha.

Three Color Fried Rice

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cold cooked long-grain rice (recipe here)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup peanut oil
  • 1/4 pound uncooked medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dry sherry
  • 1/2 cup dried black mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup cooked barbecued pork, (Chinese -style), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup frozen petite pois (baby peas)
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

  1. To separate the rice grains, wet your hands and rub the rice grains with wet hands. Place in a mixing bowl.
  2. In a small mixing bowl beat the eggs lightly. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok on medium-high heat. When hot, add the eggs and stir continuously until soft curds form. Remove and set aside.
  3. Turn up the heat to high. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok, swirling around to coat the sides. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the shrimp toss every 20 seconds for 1-2 minutes or until they just turn pink. Add the sherry and cook another minute. Remove and add to the cooked eggs and reserve.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat and add the rice. Toss every 20-30 seconds until it becomes lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, pork, peas, corn, broth, soy sauce and green onions and mix to combine. Add the cooked shrimp, eggs and peanuts and stir the rice mixture until the egg is in small pieces and all the ingredients are heated through, about another minute. Taste for seasoning. Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Tips

  • Quick Fried Rice Tips
  • The variations on this recipe are endless. If you don’t have barbecued pork, use Chinese sausage; if you like a vegetarian version, instead of meat use your favorite vegetables like chopped carrots, zucchini, peppers, cauliflower or broccoli.

Serves 6 people.

Steamed White Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
  • 2 1/4 cups water

Instructions

  1. Place the rice in a colander and rinse with cold water to remove excess starch. Place the rice and the water in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium-high heat and boil uncovered for about 10 minutes or until most of the water evaporates and there are crater-like holes in between the rice.
  2. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 to15 more minutes or until the rice is soft and tender. Remove from the heat and cool. Transfer to a bowl and when cool, cover and refrigerate.