Move over chicken - PORK LOIN is Lean, Easy and Delicious

 

Today, pork is bred to be much leaner.  Any cuts from the loin - like pork chops and pork roast - are leaner than skinless chicken thighs, according to USDA data.  So next time you're reaching for the chicken breast, consider a pork loin roast instead. 



Pork loin roast

Ingredients

3 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons of black pepper, cracked

1 tablespoon of fennel dust

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 lbs. boneless pork loin

Rosemary sprig

 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

 

 

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Rub the garlic mixture all over pork.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat.

Sear the pork loin on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven with rosemary sprig and roast the loin for 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes per pound) or until the meat registers 150 degrees F.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange pork slices on platter. Pour pan juices over.

 

Pork roast and chick peas





Pork loin with bone and potatoes

 

 







Chicken Rolls with Prosciutto and Fontina - Involtini di Pollo

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded 1⁄8" thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
 to taste
6 slices Fontina cheese                                                                  

6 thin slices prosciutto
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced
Flour, for dredging
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1⁄2 cups vegetable broth
1⁄4 cup Marsala wine
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
4 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Top one breast half with one slice prosciutto and one slice of fontina. Using kitchen twine, tie chicken roll from each end.  In the alternate, use toothpicks to secure roll together.

2. Heat 3 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Stir mushrooms and continue cooking until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; wipe out skillet. Put flour on a plate; dredge each chicken roll in flour. Heat 2 tbsp. butter and the oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 15 minutes. Transfer chicken rolls to a plate. Add broth and Marsala to skillet stirring, until sauce has reduced, 5 minutes. Return mushrooms and chicken to skillet; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to a platter. Remove skillet from heat; swirl in remaining butter to make a smooth sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with rice.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS (Fettuccine con Funghi)



Shitakes, oyster and crimini

In our home, we love mushrooms.






Pasta Divella

For stuffed mushrooms, I use the button mushrooms.  With pasta or  as a vegetable dish, I prefer a combination of shitakes, oyster and crimini.

Fettuccine with mushrooms is an easy and delicious dish.  For pasta, I used Divella Fettuccine 90.  Any other pasta can be used.



Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds mushrooms

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. fettuccine

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano (optional)

- Thoroughly clean the mushrooms with a cloth (damp but not wet) and thickly slice.

  

1. - Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta.

- Meanwhile, heat a large pan (I like a cast iron pan) over medium heat.  Add the oil and garlic.  When garlic is golden, add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes over high heat. 





- Add the wine, salt, pepper and parsley.  Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Keep warm.

 -When water boils, cook the pasta al dente (around 7 min.).  Before draining, save some of the pasta cooking water.

-Drain the pasta and toss with the mushrooms in a large bowl.  If it seems dry, add some of the pasta water.
Add the cheese and serve.

IL GIORNO DI CAPODANNO - NEW YEAR'S DAY

After the holidays' festivities and the end of the year, here was New Year's Day (Capodanno). The first day of 2013, we celebrated with lots of tasty and delicious dishes, cooked in a variety of ways, making our table very cheerful. These were simple dishes made with ease that we shared and enjoyed with family and friends with the hope that all our dreams would come true.

One of my favorites: SPAGHETTI WITH BROCCOLI AND CLAMS
 

 

Spaghetti con broccoli e vongole

 

 

Ingredients

1 lb. spaghetti
1 lb. broccoli florets
2 doz. small clams
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 dry red pepper, chopped
Few sprigs of parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place the clams in a bath of water and salt for two hours.  Remove and dry.
In a pan, add 1/2 of the oil and one minced clove of garlic.
Add the clams, the wine and cover.  Cook until clams open.  Remove the clams and filter the water with a piece of cheese cloth and save. 
Add remaining oil in a pan, the other garlic clove, dry peperoncino, salt and pepper.
After few seconds, add the washed broccoli florets and cover.  Cook until tender. 
Add the clams and juice to the broccoli.
In a pot, cook the spaghetti. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve some pasta water.
Add the broccoli, clams and chopped parsley to the pasta and mix well.