The Feathered Nest

The softer side of MaisonBisson

Spring Dinner May 27, 2009

TowerGirl @ 10:47 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

Dinner
I haven’t done much cooking lately.  I hate it when my life gets in the way of playing in my kitchen. Finally, I had time to cook.  It takes some time for spring to arrive to NH, but finally lilacs, asparagus, and even radishes are starting to appear and my window box herb gardens are flourishing.  With all these yummy tokens of spring, I ignored the work I “should” have been doing and dawned my apron.

I have read about roasted radishes on a few blogs lately and have been anxious to try my hand at them. I did these quite simply with quartered shallots, olive oil, and kosher salt. I stuck them in a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes. They couldn’t have been easier.

Then I heated up my beloved cast iron grill/skillet.  I cut medallions from a loin, seasoned them with smoked salt and freshly ground pepper, and grilled them for about 8 minutes on each side.  I served these and the roasted radishes on a bed of arugula.

I felt like the pork wanted a light-herby sauce.  I walked upstairs to my herb garden and grabbed a mixed handful of basil, parsley, and mint. These went into my food processor along with a couple of tablespoons of dijon mustard, olive oil, a small shallot, and champagne vinegar. The result was very tangy and a lovely compliment to the pork.  I had the leftovers the next day as a dip with cucumbers and celery.

The farmers market opens in two weeks, school is almost out for the year, and my kitchen will soon be put through daily workouts.

 

A Successful Experiment March 2, 2009

TowerGirl @ 11:27 am
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Salty Smokey Pork with Curried Coconut Risotto and Citrus Salsa

My favorite part of traveling is eating. It’s sad but true. I also like trying to recreate things I ate on the road when I return home.  

I had all day Friday to play in my kitchen.  Armed with inspiration from my Seattle trip I created the following menu.

  • Creamy Cauliflower Soup with White Truffle Oil
  • Smokey Salty Pork Loin on Curried Coconut Risotto topped with Citrus Salsa
  • Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The soup was inspired by a few different cauliflower dishes I sampled in Seattle. My version began with slow-cooked onions and celery . Then I added in one box of College Inn’s White Wine and Herb Culinary Broth and another boxful of plain water. I added in the cauliflower and brought it to boil. I reduced the heat and let it cook for nearly an hour then I removed it from the heat and blended it until creamy. I reheated it and adjusted the seasonings. I served it with a drizzle of truffle oil.

The risotto also relied heavily on a College Inn Culinary Broth. I really like this line.  This time it was the Coconut Curry broth.  I simply caramelized a huge red onion and then toasted the arborio rice. I slowly added the warmed stock one ladle at a time. I finished it with a big handful of chopped basil, cilantro, and a generous squeeze of fresh lime.

The pork was rolled in a mixture of smoked sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. I cut it into medallions and pan cooked them. I topped it with simple citrus salsa I made of navel oranges, blood oranges, one granny smith apple, cilantro, honey, white wine vinegar, and a little red pepper.

I used this recipe for the cake. It was perfectly moist and full of flavor.