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Friends Food Fun

FFF EP-50 PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVyn7ZZNkF4

Too tired to read then click play on the box below to hear the blog read to you by Brian (and occasional comment by Helenka when I screw it up).

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too).

This episode had nothing weird in it (well, except for a handful of inventive substitutions). What? Is Brian not playing with his food any more? Not to worry. He chose to make an exquisite Grilled Pork Tenderloin accompanied by a Sautéed Pineapple Salsa. So-so-so yummy! Oh, wait. It was unusual and unconventional which does make it a titch “weird”, so I’m still qualified to write about it!

When people think about grilled meat, they’re usually expecting strongly-flavoured rubs and grilling sauces (containing lots of pepper, garlic, etc.). To be honest, we both like those, too, especially when the zing permeates throughout the meat and we get to play with the gooey tomato-based sauces (which usually involves licking our fingers a lot).

But to treat a gorgeous length of pork tenderloin to not only honey mustard but extra honey was brilliant. I usually don’t expect to be chewing sweet meat, so it was a delightful surprise, followed by the shock to the tastebuds when I swallowed the fruity-veggie (hot-hot-hot) accompanying salsa. Thank goodness there was a sprightly side salad so that I could cool my mouth off … well, until the next bite and swallow. Brian may have had all the fun of playing with the food, but I was on a roller-coaster eating adventure! See me so not complaining.

Variations:
Some of you may wish to have alternatives to cooking pork. In this case, I believe you have many possibilities for substitutions. You could do beef tenderloin (or individual steaks) with an orange zest-honey-honey mustard rub and a mandarin orange-sweet cherry-onion salsa.

Or individual lamb loin chops with a crushed mint-oregano-rosemary-honey-honey mustard rub and a papaya-peach-onion salsa.

Or skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs with a macerated raspberry-honey-honey mustard rub and a green mango-pear-onion salsa.

Or even thick salmon steaks with a mashed ripe apricot-honey-honey mustard rub and a halved red seedless grape-apple-onion salsa.

I can imagine your eyes glazing over because of the repetition of “honey-honey mustard rub” but, in my inventive culinary opinion (not to mention usual bossiness), both the honey and honey mustard are integral to maintaining a sweet taste as well as promoting the natural chemical reaction from the application of direct heat to the grilled surface. As for the salsa, onion is terrific for balancing the sweet fruit as well as complementing any combination of herbs and spices (that I’m leaving up to your imaginations). Just remember to keep the flesh sweet and the salsa spicy hot and you’ll end up with a winner of your own!

Helenka’s and Brian’s Nostalgic Meanderings:
Usually it’s only Helenka who goes meandering through the cobwebs of her mind (until Brian tries valiantly to rein her in). But this time we’re both here with a very simple but powerful reminder of memories that will forever be with us.
H: “I love the sound of sizzle.”
B: “Me, too.”

Well, that’s a wrap for another winter episode for early February, 2012. I don’t know what the weather’s like in your neck of the woods, but we’ve been spoiled with little snow, no wind, lots of sun and blue skies (and an unusually vivid tropical hue of blue in the lake) though – alas – I fear winter’s about to give us an unwanted present tomorrow (snow showers in the forecast). So we think it’s the perfect hint-hint-hint for you to make this recipe and dream of summer. Fruit, veggies and grilling spell instant summer, even if the sizzle is only possible in your kitchen and you don’t look out the windows. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP-41: OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmYN6-GrpL0

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). And, just to make everything crystal clear, in our last post a certain chef (Brian, if you haven’t figured it out already) attempted to impersonate MOI (though, really, I don’t think going blond would suit him at all). So I’m relieved to regain my official editor’s perch here.

Now, who’s up for fried chicken? No … there’s no catch. Really, ‘cuz we’re making it the healthier way, in the oven (based on the recipe from Cook This Not That VOL 2).

Once again reaching into my nostalgic vault, I will remind our viewers that I did not grow up eating deep-fried chicken. The only deep-fried food I ate occasionally was those oh-so-tasty strips of powdered sugar covered dough (chrusty, in Polish) that I’ve described in a previous blog. Only later in life did I discover a certain fast-food establishment where one could buy cut-up fried chicken pieces. No, it wasn’t the Colonel’s place, but a burger joint that branched out into fried chicken for a short time. Actually, even though the crust was pretty good, I would usually remove the breading and eat just the superbly tender chicken meat that had been cooked to perfection. Not bad for fast food.

::ponders for a moment:: Wait a minute. I’m wrong about not eating breaded food (though it still wasn’t deep-fried). We used to have the Polish version of Wiener Schnitzel (pounded thin cutlet, dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and then sautéed). You will also find fried or breaded chicken in European cuisine, though typically in an upscale manner. Anybody up for Chicken Cordon Bleu? Or Chicken Kiev? Still fried chicken. And that brings me to my devious topic today: how herbs and spices can take a dish from one country (or continent) to another.

I faintly remember some of the spices used when I was growing up. [Hey, I was even shorter ::sighs:: and couldn’t reach the cupboards!] I know there were the basics of sugar, salt and black pepper. I also remember pickling spices (for dill pickles, the tall jars packed with huge fronds of dill, or in an artfully-arranged jelly of pigs’ feet with carrots and other cute cut-up veggies). And white pepper that was used in the Polish version of Gefilte Fish (instead of ground fish in the shape of balls, it was rolled into a cylindrical shape, wrapped in muslin cloth and poached in broth before being sliced into a thick round and served in the broth on a soup plate). And I remember bay leaves for – what else – but chicken soup. And paprika for devilled eggs. Oh, also caraway seeds for hot sauerkraut. And orange extract and vanilla for baking, if I recall correctly.

Otherwise, most of the flavourings were derived from real food sources (chopped onion or garlic, soaked dried Polish mushrooms, etc.). So, when I moved out on my own, acquiring herbs and spices became an adventure. I remember my first purchase was a cello-wrapped pack of three jars that included a bonus paperback book on spices. I also remember buying my first wok, along with sesame oil, special Chinese spices and cookbooks. Or having raw fish (alas, not even close to sushi-grade) at home, enhanced with wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and gari (pickled ginger). [Oh, dear. Now I’m really missing the taste of dried cuttlefish snacks from the shop at the corner of Yorkville and Bay.] And making cold soba (buckwheat noodles) with snipped laver (seaweed sheets).

After that, I would buy spices here and there, but I still wasn’t as adventurous as I would have liked. So, when I saw a special deal at my fave department store downtown ::waves to the long-gone spirit of Simpsons::, I snapped it up. What was it? It was a brown wooden rack (um … colonial style?) filled with a brand-name of 24 different herbs and spices. I then bought a duplicate rack, removed the jars (putting them aside to act as refills) and began to buy the flavouring ingredients (yay, lemon zest) I was coming across in my cookbooks. What cookbooks? Oh, the Time-Life series, both foods of the world and individual food groups. Whenever I would want to cook a certain food, I’d check both sources (nearly moaning over some of the recipes) and then I’d choose exactly the perfect recipe for the occasion. So, I’ve always appreciated how recipes can flow through geographical boundaries or be transformed into a unique blend of cuisines from countries that share a border (anyone for Alsace-Lorraine?).

Variations:
This recipe provides a perfect opportunity to infuse different flavours into both the coating mix as well as the marinade. Add some grated Parmiggiana Reggiano and finely-chopped parsley to the breadcrumbs, as well as garlic, oregano and basil to a tomato juice marinade … and it’s Italian … er … fried chicken. You see what I’m doing – just using my imagination (which I’ve done ever since episode #1 and haven’t run out of ideas yet). You don’t need me to repeat all of those whacky variations I’ve given you in countless episodes. Of course, you can look up a few, but allow yourselves to let go of your preconceived taste sensations and – shock of shocks – EXPERIMENT!!! The best thing will be that you will end up with succulent chicken pieces that are so full of flavour – both inside and out – that you won’t dare remove the fried crust, because you’ll be missing out on an amazing complementary taste experience.

Brian’s intent for making both the chicken and the yummy smashed ‘taters was to try to recreate a restaurant experience we used to have as often as possible (well, it sure seemed that way, lol) many, many years ago. When we didn’t know where we wanted to eat, we’d usually head downtown to our fave rib’n’chicken place. Though it wasn’t only the ribs or chicken, it was the spices and hot sauces used in the cooking process. And there just happened to be the hypnotic open rotisseries that were … uh … very … oh, wwwowww…. Hmm? What? Oh, right. Note to self’s mind: Mind, get back on track! And the special smashed ‘taters were another feature that both Brian and I really enjoyed though, as you can see, they’re so easy to prepare at home. Please let our experience motivate you to recall a dish you’ve eaten at a restaurant and try to recreate it at home. You’ll be surprised to see how much fun it is and the feeling of accomplishment when you realize, “Hey, I can do that, too!”

Well, that’s a wrap for yet another episode. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

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Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.