Pork Tenderloin with Shallots, Garlic, and Apples

This recipe this "mom inspired." I just added a few more ingredients.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 - 3 lb. pork tenderloin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, crushed
5 small shallots, peeled and halved
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 apples cored, cleaned, and halved

Preheat an oven at 325°F for 20 min.
Clean the pork in water.  Place the pork in the baking rack.
Mix olive oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Coat the pork with the mixture.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté the shallots and garlic about 5 min.  Remove.
In the bottom of the baking pan, mix the shallots, garlic, dijon mustard, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
Place the apples on the side of the pork as shown.
Bake 50 min or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F - 150°F.

Tomato Seafood Risotto

preparing for this dish was intense but fun.  Here it goes!

 

1 pound medium shrimp
1 pound bay scallop
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup shallots, minced
1½ cups arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
5 cups home made fish broth
2 garlic cloves
freshly ground black pepper
salt
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

 

Directions:

 

Peel the shells and tails from the shrimp. With a small knife, make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp to remove the dark vein. Cut the shrimp crosswise into thirds. Quarter the bay scallops.

In a heavy, wide 3 to 4-quart casserole or pot, heat the 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and shallots and cook them until golden, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Toast the rice until the edges become translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and stir well until evaporated.  The tomato should be simmering at this point. Add 1 cup of the hot fish broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add the hot hot fish broth in small batches- just enough to completely moisten the rice- and cook until each successive batch has been absorbed. Stir constantly and adjust the level of heat so the rice is simmering very gently while adding the stock.

 

About 10 minutes after adding the 3 - 4 tablespoons of tomato puree heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic, then add the shrimp and scallops to the skillet, and cook until they are bright pink on both sides and firm, about 2 minutes.

Add the contents of the skillet to the rice. Mix well and cook, adding water as described above until the rice is creamy and al dente, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (The total cooking time for the rice after adding the tomato is about 18 minutes.)

 

Stir in the Pecorino Romano

 

Remove the casserole from the heat and beat in the chopped parsley. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary, and pepper. Serve immediately, ladled into warm serving bowls.

Homemade Fish Stock

We went to a Portuguese restaurant for lunch and I had the most delicious seafood risotto.  We spoke with the owner and gave me the recipe for the fish stock. 

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs. Red snapper, de-scaled, gutting, and sliced
1 large leek, white and light-green parts only
2 dried bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
10 sprigs fresh thyme
4 whole cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
8 whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

Remove the gills and any traces of blood from fish heads; thoroughly wash bones, and cut them to fit into a 12-quart stockpot. Place heads and bones in a large bowl, and set aside.

Quarter leek lengthwise; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a bowl of cold water; let stand 5 minutes to rid leek of sand. Lift out of water; drain in a colander; set aside.

bay leaves, parsley, thyme, cloves, fennel seeds, and peppercorns in a 12-inch-square piece of cheesecloth. Form a bundle, and tie with kitchen twine; set aside.

Melt butter in a 12-quart stockpot over medium heat; add cut leek, onion, and celery ; cook until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, and add fish heads and bones. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add wine, bouquet garni, and 2 1/2 quarts water, covering the bones. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes, skimming any scum that rises to the surface. Turn off the heat, and let sit 10 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath. Strain the stock through a fine sieve set over a large bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath. Use stock within 1 day, or freeze for up to 3 months.