The Last Supper
Saturday night was the last supper in the old kitchen. Amazingly enough, I didn't make a big deal about it. Instead, I opted to make one of my favorite dishes. It's one that I have made many times. I prepared Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Sweet Potato and Peppers with Satueed Green Beens.
This dish is also a favorite of Judy's and it is also what spurred the new kitchen project. The dish starts by searing the tenderloin in a hot pan. This process seals in the meat's juices and keeps it moist. However, it creates a lot of smoke. The exhaust fan over our stove is useless. Judy hates when I have to sear anything — especially if guests are coming over. For some reason, she thinks a screeching smoke alarm is a disruptive element to a dinner party.
Once seared, the meat is removed from the pan and white wine is added to deglaze the pan. Once the alcohol is burned off (it takes a minute or two) chicken broth is added to the pan. How much? I haven't measured lately. Basically I just want enough liquid for the meat to sit in. When the pork is returned to the pan, the liquid should come about halfway up its side. Then place the pan in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven when the meat has an internal temperature of 160 degrees and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
While the meat rests, make the sauce by bringing the liquid to a boil and adding a couple tablespoons of butter. Once that is melted, add an ounce or two of heavy cream or half and half.(The amount of cream and butter really depends on how thick you like the sauce). Once combined, reduce heat to low.
The meal was like any other. Judy and I didn't even break out a good bottle of wine to mark the occasion. We had a "cheapie" (as Judy calls $8-$12 bottles of wine) and enjoyed the meal while our nephew Matthew Labrato watched some Scooby-Doo cartoons in the other room. (He opted for pizza instead of his Uncle Dan's cooking. One day the boy will come around.)
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. The day will be spent clearing out the rest of the kitchen. We'll feast on a giant Italian spread prepared by neighbors Mary and John Othmer.The Super Bowl on Hi-Def with a ton of food and friends — can't get better than that. My pick — Colts 31-10.
posted by Dan Macdonald at
7:23 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Dan,
Can't wait to see what your new and improved kitchen looks like. We are in the talking (mostly me) and thinking (DH) stage of our kitchen remodel. I was wondering if you were going to name any names of designers, contractors, etc., since one of my main reasons for checking the blog will be to preview potential service providers for our remodel. BTW, the "last supper" looked awesome. I make something similar, but finish it on top of the stove rather than in the oven due to poor quality skillet that I am currently using! Will you have a gas range? So many questions....looking forward to checking on your progress.
I don't think I am going to name any of the companies involved in the job. It would be unethical of me to play the Food Editor card and in any way receive special treatment.
Thanks for the comments about "The Last Supper." If you're thinking of doing a kitchen remodel I think your first order of business is to get some quality cookware. At least buy an oven-safe skillet. The proper tools really make a difference.
I'll be going into detail about the appliances at a later date but yes we're getting a gas stove top with a convection oven and a warming drawer.
We're in the last part of removing everything from the cabinets. But I'll save the details for my next post.
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