Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Roasted pork tenderloins are a bit tricky – they can easily dry out in the oven if you leave them in too long. I usually try to counteract this by browning the pork on the stovetop and then roasting it covered in foil. You should defintely make this – even if its just 2 of you – the leftovers can be used for salads, sandwiches, and even breakfast.

1 lb. pork tenderloin

2 tbs of garlic powder

2 tbs of paprika

1 tbs of ground cumin

1 ts. of sea salt

1 bunch of sage

4 tbs of white wine vinegar

1/2 cup of water

For Meat:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

- Combine all spices (except sage) and roll tenderloin in spice mix.

- Brown the meat in a frying pan on each side for approx. 4 minutes each

- Remove meat from the pan and place in baking dish with water and vinegar. Place most of the sage underneath the pork (this will make a delicious broth for gravy) and place 3 springs of sage ontop of the meat. Wrap the dish in foil.

- Bake for 60-75 minutes (depending on the typical ‘hotness’ of your oven).

For Gravy:

- Warm 1 tbs of butter in the pan you used to brown the meat

- Add 1 tbs of Wondra to the butter and mix until melted.

- Slowly add the drippings from the baking dish into the mixture and cook under medium heat until thick

- After gravy is thickened, wring out the sage that rested on the bottom of the pork into the gravy. The juices from the sage should be a dark green and will add wonderful flavor.

10 Pantry Staples

There are certain foods I always keep in my pantry because they always help  me whip up a delicious last minute meal

1 – Dried Mushrooms

These are fantastic for a last minute dish. They add depth to just about anything. Stew, pastas, gravy, a roast, – you name it. There are a bunch of varieties but I always get porcini’s and if I’m really getting crazy with myself: morels.

2 – Vanilla Beans

Yes, they are expensive but a little goes a long way with these gems. They are perfect to perk up any dessert or fruit salad. A must for any kitchen.

3 – Sea Salt

Thanks to the good ol’ iodized salt we all grew up with, cases of goiters and thyroid gland problems have significantly dropped over the years…and we are all thankful. However sea salt is much more flavorful and you tend to use less of it. I’m not saying get rid of the trusted salt you use. Just try this one as well

4 –  Curry

Curry powders can add so much zing to a boring chicken/beef stew – they are worth picking up at the store. Curries usually include  – but are not limited to – turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and red pepper. If you are one of those 10 people in the world who hate curry (and my father is one of them) you may skip this but if you are just not familiar with curry – try it.

5 – Lemons

I always get lemons every time I go food shopping and I am STILL always out of them at the end of the week. Lemons and limes add freshness to so many things: meat, poultry, fruit, vegetables, beverages, etc. Fresh lemons are much better than those ‘lemon in a jar’ bottles. Call me crazy but those bottles always taste like chemicals to me.

6 – Herbes de Provence

I’ll admit – this one can be a little costly. But its worth it in my opinion and it should last you a long time. It consists of lavender, savory, fennel thyme, and rosemary. If you are big into roasted chickens this is a must. It’ll perk up your chicken salads, roasted chicken breasts, grilled fishes, veggie stews, etc.

7 – Mustard

I’m not talking French’s Yellow Mustard – although there is nothing wrong with that. I love classic yellow mustard on hot dogs and sandwiches. But a really nice mustard  — whether its dijon (my personal fav) honey, whole grain, french/english, horseradish, chinese, or polish — can do wonders for homemade vinaigrettes, marinades, barbecue sauces, salad dressings, and glazes. Open yourself up to the wonderful world of the mustard seed.

8 – Garlic Powder

Ok, this one is almost a given but it needs to be mentioned. I’m Italian and my husband is half Puerto Rican. We use garlic powder ALL the time. Its not a replacement for fresh garlic and you shouldn’t use it as such. I do use it as a substitute for salt in mariandes, stews, dressings, rubs, etc. Always a necessity.

9 – Vinegars

I love using a dash of vinegar in many of my dishes. Whether its Apple Cider, Malt, Rice, Balsamic, or Wine, you can use them to season veggies, for mariandes, salad dressings, sauces, deglazes for gravy, etc.

10 – Low Carb Pasta

There are many nights when I don’t feel like having a  heavy meal or its late and I don’t feel like going grocery shopping. Low Carb Pasta is great for nights like these , it takes minutes to whip up and can go with anything. You can make a pasta sauce from just about anything you have laying around your house .

My Love of Asian Buns

“Come along inside… We’ll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place.”

-Kenneth Grahame, ‘The Wind in the Willows‘

I was introduced to the wonderful world of Asian buns - both steamed and baked –  when a new coffeehouse named ‘Honey Cabin’ opened up a few blocks away from my house. I remembering walking in for the first time and being hit in the face with a waft of sweet/savory bread aromas. It smelled amazing. I was already enthralled before I got to the counter to see the array of delicious bready foods on display. It soon became my favorite place on the Island to eat both for its delicious food and insanely cheap prices.

My saliva is increasing just looking at it

I created a list of new favorite snacks. The coconut cream buns were one of their truly irresistible treats. Fluffy sweet dough, baked to perfection,  stuffed with a not-too-sweet coconut flaked cream, and then covered in coconut flakes. Sometimes the bun was stuffed with an eggy custard, or a sweet red bean paste, or even a chocolate/peanut butter combo. All for under $1.  For $5 I would stuff my bag with goodies and eat them all throughout the day during my classes – needless to say I fully blame Honey Cabin for my increase in mass during my college years.

Then there is the delicious roasted pork bun  – my ultimate downfall. Savory moist meat packed into a light and fluffy bun with just the hint of sweetness surrounding it. Never too heavy and always the right price. I could literally eat 5 of them in one sitting.  Ever so often I would go for the steamed buns – the best and fluffiest you could ever order.

Honey Cabin closed a few years ago and I have beeen lamenting the loss ever since. Now I have to travel to get my Asian bun fix. Here are a few places I go out of my way for:

Fay Da Bakery – you can also pick up a great bubble tea here

327 Canal Street

Golden Fung Wong Bakery

41 Mott Street

Canal Bakery

242 Canal Street

Ultimate Roast Chicken Recipe

This is truly the Ultimate Roast Chicken recipe. The chicken itself is stuffed with an entire head of roasted garlic, herbes de provence, and butter.  This makes the chicken incredibly moist and creates an amazing gravy afterwards.

Ingredients

3-4 lb. chicken

1 head of garlic

2 tbs olive oil

5 tbs butter

3 tbs herbes de provence

1 onion

3 carrots

2 cups of sliced button mushrooms

fresh thyme/sage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Roast 1 head of garlic ahead of time in the oven for 20 mins. After roasted, blend in food processor (or blender or something) garlic, olive oil, butter, sea salt, and herbes de provence.

-Chop up onion, carrots, button mushrooms and add fresh thyme and sage. Coat veggies/herbs lightly with olive oil and lay them in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

-Spread herb/butter/garlic mix under the skin of the chicken on a little on top of the chicken (just to moisten it up).

-Roast for 20 mins in the oven per pound (1.5 hrs for 4 lb chicken)

Roast chicken recipe