Cooking

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

Filed Under: Cooking

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves — finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 1/2 pounds black plums — quartered and pitted
  • 1 star anise

Pork:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 pounds pork tenderloins — trimmed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sugar and the next 10 ingredients (through star anise); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until plums break down and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Discard cloves and anise.
  2. Preheat oven to 450°.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add pork to pan; sauté 7 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.
  4. Transfer pork to a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; coat with 1/2 cup plum sauce. Roast pork at 450° for 15 minutes. Remove pork from oven. Turn pork over; coat with an additional 1/2 cup plum sauce. Roast 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of pork registers 155°. Remove from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Slice crosswise. Serve with remaining plum sauce.

Salmon on Greens with Lime-Ginger Dressing

Filed Under: Cooking

Salmon on Greens with Lime-Ginger Dressing

  • 2/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 4 skinned salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick, (6-ounce))
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 cups gourmet salad greens
  • 1 cup sliced peeled mango
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, reserving 3/4 cup juice mixture for dressing. Place salmon fillets on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Baste fillets with remaining juice mixture. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness, basting once after turning. Sprinkle fillets with salt.
  3. Divide salad greens evenly among 4 plates; arrange salmon and mango on top of greens. Drizzle with reserved dressing

Raspberry Scones

Filed Under: Cooking

Raspberry Scones

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour — plus more as needed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest — (from 1 medium lemon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter — (1 stick cut into 1/2-inch cubes and then chilled)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries — kept in the freezer until ready to use
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly flour a large plate; set aside.
  2. Combine the measured flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until small, pea-sized pieces remain.
  3. Pour in 3/4 cup of the cream and, using your finger, mix until just incorporated and a rough, slightly sticky mound has formed (not all of the flour will be incorporated). Turn the dough and loose flour out onto a work surface and knead until most of the flour is incorporated and the dough just holds together (be careful not to overwork it). Lightly flour a rolling pin and the work surface. Using your hands, roughly form the dough into a rectangle, keeping the long edge toward you. Roll the dough into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle (if the dough cracks, push it back together), again keeping the long edge toward you.
  4. Remove the raspberries from the freezer, evenly arrange them in a single layer over the lower two-thirds of the rectangle, and press them into the dough (it’s OK if some break). Starting with the top, berryless third, fold the dough lengthwise into thirds, pressing on the layers as you go (use a spatula or pasty scraper if the dough sticks to the work surface).
  5. Flour the rolling pin again and gently roll the dough into an even 1-inch-thick block. If the ends become tapered, square them with your hands. Slice the dough crosswise (do not saw back and forth) into 4 equal pieces. Cut each piece diagonally to form 2 triangles.
  6. Transfer the scones to the floured plate and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
  7. Remove the scones from the freezer and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, setting them 2 inches apart. Brush a thin layer of the remaining 1 tablespoon cream over the tops of the scones and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown on the top and bottom, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ricotta Ravioli with Browned Poppy Seed Butter and Asparagus

Filed Under: Cooking

Ricotta Ravioli with Browned Poppy Seed Butter and Asparagus

  • Ravioli:
  • 1 cup Homemade Ricotta Cheese ((8 ounces))
  • 1/4 cup grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese ((1 ounce))
  • 2 Tbs minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 48 round gyoza skins ((3-inch))
  • 6 quarts water
  • Topping:
  • 1 1/2 Tbs butter
  • 2 cups slices asparagus ((2-inch))
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds
  • 1/3 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese ((about 1 1/2 ounces))
  1. To prepare ravioli, combine Homemade Ricotta Cheese, pecorino Romano, parsley, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and egg whites; mix with a fork until blended. Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to prevent drying), spoon about 2 teaspoons ricotta mixture into center of skin. Moisten edges of skin with water; place 1 skin over filling, stretching slightly to meet edges of bottom skin. Press edges together with a fork to seal; place on a lightly floured baking sheet (cover with a damp towel to prevent drying). Repeat procedure with remaining skins and ricotta mixture to form 24 ravioli.
  2. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 4 ravioli; cook 5 minutes, turning ravioli carefully after 2 1/2 minutes. Remove ravioli from water with a slotted spoon; place on a platter. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli; cover and keep warm. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.
  3. To prepare topping, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water, asparagus, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and water evaporates. Stir in poppy seeds; cook 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water; cook over medium-high heat 1 minute or until liquid is reduced by about half. Add ravioli to skillet; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with ricotta salata; serve immediately.