Traditionally, Christmas dinner has never been a tradition for us. Its menu changes from year to year, and in recent years has been an excuse to try an exciting new recipe a friend has told us about or one we've clipped from a magazine. So its not out of the ordinary for me to ask what we're making. This year however, the roles were switched, and the responsibility lay on me to choose what we'd eat and make.
Naturally, I went to one of my favorite sites, http://foodgawker.com/, to find a meal suitable for everyone. I wanted to make something hearty with a little spice for my dad, and something light with lemon notes for my mom; both food they've been known to love in the past. The meal? Oven roasted pork tenderloin, and a lemon mint risotto with asparagus. Served with a bottle of sparkling dry red wine... and more red wine.
Preparing the meal was fun, and a little nerve-wracking. My mom pretended to be my sous chef, and was incredibly helpful... especially when I needed to be stirring the risotto. This was the most fun I've had in a kitchen in a long time. While the only hook-up was that risotto took twice as long as the recipe said, the meal turned out wonderfully. The pork was tender, packed with flavor, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The risotto was light, perfectly gooey, lemony, and although served in the middle of winter, had notes of summer. Here is this meal's bleuprint:
Fennel and Sage Crusted Pork Tenderloin
(Recipe adapted from The Kitchen Sink Recipes) Serves 4-5
2 medium (about 1.5-2 pounds of meat) Pork Tenderloin
(I got mine from the butcher at City Market on NW 21st Ave. in Portland and they were incredibly helpful in determining how much meat would feed the amount of people... so when in doubt, ask your butcher.)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Fresh Sage and Rosemary, chopped.
3 teaspoons Fennel Seeds
3 teaspoons Minced Garlic
2 teaspoons Red Chile Flakes (add more or less depending on desired heat)
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Olive Oil
Pre-heat oven to 350F, with rack in middle. In a large frying pan heat oil on medium-high until it shimmers.
Salt and pepper the tenderloin, and set aside.
Crush fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, combine in small bowl with fresh herbs, minced garlic and red chile flakes. Set aside.
Coat the tenderloin with the Dijon mustard, make sure all surfaces are coated. Sprinkle the garlic-herb-spice mixture over the tenderloin, pressing it into the meat's surface.
Place tenderloin in pan, and brown on all sides; about 6 minutes. This will lock in the juices and flavor. Transfer to a broiling pan and put in oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the center of the pork, reads 150F. This took the smaller of mine 15 minutes, and 20 minutes for the lager.
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve on a platter. Eat, enjoy!
Lemon-Mint Risotto with Asparagus
(Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver) Serves 4-5
1 pound Risotto Rice (I used a Superfino Arborio from an Italian import store. It was only $3.50)
6 cups Chicken Stock (I like using low-sodium stock so that I'm in control of how salty my dish turns out.)
1 large Onion, pealed and diced
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/4 cup Dry White Wine
2 bunches Asparagus, woody ends cut and discarded.
Olive Oil
Pinch Kosher Salt and Crushed Black Pepper
1-2 handfuls freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
A bunch of fresh Mint, stems discarded, and finely chopped (Reserve 3 leafs for garnish)
2 Lemons, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons Butter
Kosher Salt and Crushed Black Pepper to taste
Chop Asparagus into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.
Bring the stock to simmer in a saucepan. I put it on a burner directly next to the pot with the risotto rice. In a larger pan, heat butter and olive oil. Once butter is melted add the diced onion. Cook gently, without coloring, on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the rice, and turn up the heat. Keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Quickly add the white wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately. Keep stirring until its fully evaporated.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, so the rice doesn't cook too quickly. Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until its been fully absorbed until adding the next. Continue this process of adding a ladle and stirring, until rice becomes soft. Don't get discouraged if it takes awhile. It took mine 50 minutes total. Continue to taste it to make sure you don't overcook it.
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet until it shimmers. Add the asparagus and cook until al-dente. Add to the risotto rice when 3/4 of the stock has been used.
When risotto is finished, turn off heat. It should be firm enough to hold its shape, but be creamy and oozy too. Beat in butter and parmigiano reggiano. Fold in mint leaves, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Serve in a bowl and top with reserved mint leaves. Eat, enjoy!
Sparkling Red Wine: Labrusca
I drank a lot of sparkling red wine when I lived in Rome this summer. It took me a while to find it in Portland, but I found a great specialty wine shop, Cork on NW Lovejoy, that carries 3 different kinds! I prefer the dry kind over the sweet ones, and this was perfect. It paired nicely with the pork, was able to stand up to the spice, but not over power the subtle flavor of the risotto. It's "bubbles" were also subtle, but enough to get that nice, evaporate in your mouth feeling.
Note: Only the Pork Tenderloin in this meal is gluten-free. To make this entire meal gluten-free, cooked white rice, brown rice, or quinoa could be substituted for the risotto and finished with the same ingredients. If you are dairy free, omit the parmigiano reggiano. If you don't eat meat, the chicken stock can be replaced with vegetable stock.
(Recipe adapted from The Kitchen Sink Recipes) Serves 4-5
2 medium (about 1.5-2 pounds of meat) Pork Tenderloin
(I got mine from the butcher at City Market on NW 21st Ave. in Portland and they were incredibly helpful in determining how much meat would feed the amount of people... so when in doubt, ask your butcher.)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Fresh Sage and Rosemary, chopped.
3 teaspoons Fennel Seeds
3 teaspoons Minced Garlic
2 teaspoons Red Chile Flakes (add more or less depending on desired heat)
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Olive Oil
Pre-heat oven to 350F, with rack in middle. In a large frying pan heat oil on medium-high until it shimmers.
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
Coat the tenderloin with the Dijon mustard, make sure all surfaces are coated. Sprinkle the garlic-herb-spice mixture over the tenderloin, pressing it into the meat's surface.
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve on a platter. Eat, enjoy!
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
Lemon-Mint Risotto with Asparagus
(Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver) Serves 4-5
1 pound Risotto Rice (I used a Superfino Arborio from an Italian import store. It was only $3.50)
6 cups Chicken Stock (I like using low-sodium stock so that I'm in control of how salty my dish turns out.)
1 large Onion, pealed and diced
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/4 cup Dry White Wine
2 bunches Asparagus, woody ends cut and discarded.
Olive Oil
Pinch Kosher Salt and Crushed Black Pepper
1-2 handfuls freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
A bunch of fresh Mint, stems discarded, and finely chopped (Reserve 3 leafs for garnish)
2 Lemons, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons Butter
Kosher Salt and Crushed Black Pepper to taste
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
Chop Asparagus into 1-inch pieces, and set aside.
Bring the stock to simmer in a saucepan. I put it on a burner directly next to the pot with the risotto rice. In a larger pan, heat butter and olive oil. Once butter is melted add the diced onion. Cook gently, without coloring, on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the rice, and turn up the heat. Keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Quickly add the white wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately. Keep stirring until its fully evaporated.
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet until it shimmers. Add the asparagus and cook until al-dente. Add to the risotto rice when 3/4 of the stock has been used.
When risotto is finished, turn off heat. It should be firm enough to hold its shape, but be creamy and oozy too. Beat in butter and parmigiano reggiano. Fold in mint leaves, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Serve in a bowl and top with reserved mint leaves. Eat, enjoy!
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
I drank a lot of sparkling red wine when I lived in Rome this summer. It took me a while to find it in Portland, but I found a great specialty wine shop, Cork on NW Lovejoy, that carries 3 different kinds! I prefer the dry kind over the sweet ones, and this was perfect. It paired nicely with the pork, was able to stand up to the spice, but not over power the subtle flavor of the risotto. It's "bubbles" were also subtle, but enough to get that nice, evaporate in your mouth feeling.
 |
| Photo: Amy Perenchio |
Note: Only the Pork Tenderloin in this meal is gluten-free. To make this entire meal gluten-free, cooked white rice, brown rice, or quinoa could be substituted for the risotto and finished with the same ingredients. If you are dairy free, omit the parmigiano reggiano. If you don't eat meat, the chicken stock can be replaced with vegetable stock.
