Tenderloin a la Pitusa

This is the tenderloin my mother has served for Christmas dinner ever since I was a little girl. This year, she gave me permission to document her for the blog as she seasoned the meat. Watching my mother cook is like watching an artist approach a blank canvas; she doesn't follow directions or measure ingredients like some paint by number coloring book. Instead, she effortlessly seasons the meat with nothing but her instinct as her guide, but for the sake of the blog, she was willing to measure as she went along. With that said, these measurements are not to be treated like a scientific formula, but merely as an estimate of how much she typically uses. You are more likely to under season than over season, so don't be afraid to really cover the tenderloin thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1.   Rinse the meat and place in a large baking dish. My meat was already pretty trim (see photo), but if necessary, trim the meat.

Step 2. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt.

Step 3. Sprinkle generously on all sides with garlic powder.

Step 4. Take the sweet Spanish paprika, and sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands.

Step 5. Sprinkle a 1/4  teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin.

Step 6. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin.

Step 7. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.

 Step 8: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare
130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Step 9: Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand  for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 pound tenderloin
salt
garlic powder
2 tbsp sweet spanish paprika
1/4 tsp hot spanish paprkia
1/4 cup olive oil

Rinse the meat and trim if necessary. Place in a large baking dish. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon of the sweet Spanish paprkia on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.


Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare

130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand  for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!



CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza

My first homemade pizza crust!

So this is not counting as my post for the week,* but I could not go to bed without posting about my meal tonight. I am HIGHLY HIGHLY recommending this recipe for California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pioneer Woman. If you don't know who the Pioneer Woman is, you've been living under a rock far far away from any food bloggers. When I first came upon her website for last year, "food pornography" was the only way I could describe it. I would love to make all of her recipes, but I'm not quite sure how many hours that would require I spend on the treadmill (they are a bit butter/cream/carb heavy). She does have some "cowgirl" food that is a bit on the healthier side that I have really enjoyed, and of course, her desserts never ever disappoint.

When I saw this recipe for CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza, I HAD to try it. I was a little bit intimidated because I have never made homemade pizza dough. The idea of using active yeast somehow seemed really complicated to me. It was so incredibly easy though. I honestly can't imagine going back to my store-bought ready-made crust.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I should add that I made this meal tonight for my husband because tomorrow is his "first day of school." Good luck, Big Guy!!

*I thought it would seem silly for me to document how to make this recipe since Pioneer Woman does such an incredible job herself. The only comment I will make is that I did not use 16 ounces of mozzarella. I just put enough to cover the entire pizza. Otherwise, it felt like it would have been way too much to use all of it.

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

Hi friends!

I am sure you have been wondering where I have been, and I promise I have not abandoned my blog. Actually, exciting changes will be coming soon, so I am busy trying to work on my new website. Blogger has been good to me, but now that I feel more comfortable in the blogging world, I am beginning to feel a bit limited with blogger’s capabilities. So have patience with me because I think it will be worth it. I have also been savoring the last bits of a summer. Between weddings, baptisms, and family reunions, I am a little behind on logging all of my recent meals, but I am going to try hard to catch up.

I made this recipe for Pork Tenderloin and Mango Salsa a few weeks ago for a going away dinner that I hosted for a couple of dear friends who we were sad to say goodbye to, but HOPEFULLY they will be back soon ;-).

In the summer, I love complimenting meat and fish with fruit salsas. The mango salsa in this recipe can be made a day ahead, and the marinade can be made the morning of, so this doesn’t require too much last-minute preparation which makes it an ideal dinner party go-to recipe. I usually grill it on the stove top just a few minutes before guests are expected to arrive, and then while it cooks in the oven, people have had plenty of time to enjoy a few appetizers and sip on some wine.

For the Mango Salsa....

Step 1: Prepare the mango salsa. As I said in the introduction, this can be done a day in advance. Chop the  mango, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Combine in a bowl.

Step 2: Add lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Season with black pepper. Allow to sit for at least 45 minutes before serving.

Next, prepare the marinade for the tenderloins...

Here is what you will need:

Step 1: Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree.

Step 2: Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but ideally, I let it sit for 4 hours and rotate the bag ever so often (there are no pictures of this step, my camera battery died, but this is pretty simple).

 

Time to Prepare the Tenderloins!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Step 2: When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes.

Step 3: Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

ENJOY!

Recipe Courtesy: Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients for the Tenderloins

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 pork tenderloins trimmed (about 2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lime juice, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, honey and garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to puree. Put the tenderloins in a large plastic storage bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 4 hours).


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat dry. Season the tenderloins on all sides with the salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, add the tenderloins and sear, turning to ensure even browning, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Ingredients for the Mango Salsa
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced mango

1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a non-reactive medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the salsa to macerate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and serve with the tenderloins.

Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad

Despite the fact that I wore a coat to work yesterday, it is May, and summer is almost here--even if mother nature seems to be slightly indecisive about it. Warm weather means picnic season is upon us, so I am going to start sharing some of my favorite summer salad recipes (pasta, tuna, potato, etc.).

I am starting off with my favorite chicken salad recipe. I love the combination of curry and mango chutney, and the celery and sliced almonds give it a delightfully crunchy texture. I have seen similar recipes that call for apples and/or raisins in place of grapes, so you can play around with this a bit. Also, the measurements for the celery and grapes don't have to be exact. It is all a matter of preference.

Enjoy! I hear *knock on wood* the weather in DC is supposed to be beautiful this weekend!




Here is what you will need:



Step 1: Cook the chicken. Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water.



Bring the water to a full boil. It usually takes the chicken at least 20-25 minutes to cook.



Step 2: While the chicken is cooking, go ahead and make the curry dressing. Start with 1 cup of mayonnaise (I use fat-free). Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.



Then 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.



Then 1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder.



And 1 tablespoon of mango chutney.



Stir together!



Step 3: Slice 1 and 1/2 cups of grapes.



Step 4: Chop 1 cup of celery.



Step 5: When the chicken has cooled, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.



Step 6: Mix the grapes, celery, and chicken together.



Stir well.



Step 7: Add 1 package of sliced almonds.






Step 8: Add the dressing.



Enjoy!!



Full List of Ingredients:

1 package of chicken (3-4 chicken breasts)
1 cup of chopped celery
1 1/2 cup of seedless red grapes
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
1 cup of fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder
1 tablespoon of mango chutney

Vieras a la Gallega (Galician-Style Scallops)

This is one of my favorite recipes from Spain. The scallops are cooked in a tomato-based sauce that has a sweet onion and smoked paprika flavoring. It is important that you use sweet Spanish paprika rather than the normal paprika you might find in most grocery stores. You can find this at speciality stores or online at websites like La Tienda.

I cook these scallops in actual scallop shells that my mom brought back for me from Spain. Obviously, if you don't have these, you can use individual baking tin cups or small baking dishes.

Here is what you will need:


Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Finely chop small onion.



Step 2: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in pan and add onion when hot.



Saute until it starts to turn just slightly golden.



Step 3: Add one can of tomato paste.



Then fill empty can from tomato paste with water and add to pan; do this twice.



Step 4: Add 1/3 cup of wine; Then add 2 teaspoons of sweet Spanish paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of hot Spanish paprika (optional), and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs.



The sauce will begin to thicken. Let it simmer for a few minutes until it has a thick consistency---if sauce does not begin to thicken, add another sprinkle of bread crumbs. Taste and adjust seasonings.



Step 5: Place scallops in shells or tiny baking dishes.






Step 6: Spoon sauce over scallops.



Step 7: Place scallops in oven. Cook at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then turn down temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 15 more minutes. Then, turn on the broiler and cook for 3 more minutes to give it a slight crust. Pay close attention that it doesn't start to burn (every oven is different). ***My mother says that if you buy large scallops, you may want to cook them in the oven for 5 or so minutes before adding the sauce, since they can take longer to cook.




Step 8: Enjoy!



List of Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small onion
1 can of tomato paste
water
2 teaspoons of sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon of hot paprika
1/3 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
Scallops (I bought a 12 ounce bag of scallops---this sauce is probably enough for 1 lb.)