Caramelized Lemongrass Pork with Vermicelli Noodles

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Lemongrass is a bright aromatic herb with a subtle citrus flavor native to India and tropical Asia. Here it, was used in a Thai-Vietnamese inspired dish to marinate pork giving it a lemony zingy taste. The stir fried pork was then served with a light salad of rice vermicelli (extra thin noodles), cucumber and carrot with mint and cilantro.

 

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 stalk lemongrass

1 shallot

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup (50 ml) fish sauce

2 – 3 teaspoons soy sauce  

2 tablespoons  brown sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

12 ounces (360 grams) pork tenderloin or Two 4 oz Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin Chop, thinly sliced

8 ounces (240 grams) rice vermicelli noodles

Salt, to taste

6 cups (1L)  water

1/2  English cucumber

1 small bunch of mint

1 small bunch of cilantro

2 carrots

 

 

Directions:

To  Make Marinade

Rinse all fresh produce. Trim and discard lemongrass root and outer layer. Thinly slice stalk. Peel shallot and mince. Mince garlic. In a large resealable plastic bag (or a bowl), combine lemongrass, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.  If using a pork tenderloin, remove from the packaging and  rinse pork  with water and pat dry with paper towel. Cut crosswise into  1/2 inch (0.5cm) slices. Add pork to marinade in bag and shake to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or overnight in fridge.  

 

To Cook the  Vermicelli

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium pot (or kettle) over high heat. Place vermicelli in a large bowl and pour over boiling water. Soak until tender, about 6 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Set aside in a large bowl.  

 

Preparing  the Vegetables

Cut cucumber lengthwise into 1/2 inch ( 0.5cm ) slices, then juilienne each slice. Peel the carrots and cut lengthwise into  1/2 inch ( 0.5cm ) slices, then juilienne  Pick mint leaves discarding stems. Pick cilantro leaves discarding stems.  

 

To Cook the Pork

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade, allowing excess to drip off and reserving marinade. When oil is shimmering, add pork, season lightly with salt, and cook until browned on bottom, 1 minute. Flip, season with salt, and add marinade to pan. Cook until pork is cooked through, 1 minute more.  

 

Season Vermicelli

Add cucumbers and shredded carrots to vermicelli in bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt.  

 

To Plate the Dish

Divide vermicelli and vegetables evenly between 2 bowls. Top with pork, spooning over sauce from pan. Garnish with mint and cilantro. Enjoy!  

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Shiitake Mushroom and Pesto Linguine with Spinach

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I love mushrooms so much, that this recipe uses two kinds in this dish: your workaday standard creminis and somewhat-exotic shiitakes. These umami vessels are joined by healthy spinach, savory sun-dried tomatoes, and herbaceous, flavor-eous pesto. It’s all twirled together with pasta that makes for an easy-peasy, maximum flavor meal just when you need it.

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 oz. Cremini Mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch
  • 3 oz. Shiitake Mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch
  • 1 Shallot, peeled and thinly sliced.
  • 4 oz. Baby Spinach
  • 5 oz. Linguine
  • 1 oz. Julienned Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • ¼ cup Basil Pesto (See Cook’s Notes. Recipe Follows Below.)
  • 1 small plum or Roma tomato, sliced
  • 1 oz. Shredded Asiago Cheese
  • Salt  and Ground Black Pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

Bring 8 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a medium pot. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta in a colander. DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA. Set aside.

While pasta cooks, brown mushrooms. Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cremini mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms to the hot pan. Stir occasionally until well-browned, 4-5 minutes.

Add shallot to pan. Stir occasionally until tender, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the spinach reserved pasta cooking water, sun-dried tomatoes, a pinch of salt salt, and ¼ teaspoons black pepper. Cook until spinach wilts, 2-3 minutes.

Add the pasta and pesto to pan and stir to combine.

To serve, add the finished pasta to a large bowl, garnishing with Asiago and sliced tomatoes.

 

Bon appétit!

 

 

 

Cook’s Notes:

Pesto is a mouthful of bright brightness. You can buy it in a jar , found in  the refrigerator section of your grocery story, but there is nothing better than making it yourself. Fresh basil can be found in abundance at farmers’ markets in the summer. Just clean, take the stems off and throw the leaves in a food processor with nuts and garlic. Dribble in the oil and you’ve got a versatile sauce for pasta, chicken or fish.

Yields 2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

  1. Combine basil leaves, pine nuts or walnuts and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced.
  2. With the machine running slowly dribble in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Add the cheese and process very briefly, just long enough to combine. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

 

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All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you!

 

 

Blue Cheese-Buttered Sirloin with Haricots Verts and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

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Who wouldn’t want a juicy steak topped with butter… a blue cheese compound butter no less! Compound butters are flavorful dish enhancers made from mixing different ingredients into a butter base. Blue cheese lends its deliciously distinctive aroma and flavor to this compound butter, and green onion punches it up another notch. Tip: Line ’em up! The best way to remove the ends of green beans is to line them up evenly, then remove them with one cut.

Adapted From
Chef Justin Paruszkiewicz
Home Chef
March 2021

Serves 2

Ingredients
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound fingerling potatoes
2- 3 tablespoons Blue Cheese Crumbles
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic  cloves, minced
Two Sirloin Steaks, 6 ounces each
1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat the over to 400°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Halve potatoes lengthwise. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil, about 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Massage oil and seasoning into potatoes. Spread into a single layer and roast in hot oven until golden brown and fork-tender, 18-20 minutes. While potatoes roast, make blue cheese butter.

In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, blue cheese (to taste), half the garlic (use less if desired; reserve remaining for green beans), half the scallions (reserve remaining for garnish), and a pinch of pepper. Form mixture into two equally-sized mounds and place on a plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Pat steaks dry, and season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 teaspoons olive oil. Add steaks to hot pan and cook until steaks are browned and reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F, 5-7 minutes per side. Remove steaks to a plate and tent with foil. Rest at least 5 minutes. Wipe pan clean and reserve.

Return skillet used to cook steaks to medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add remaining garlic to hot skillet and cook until fragrant, 30-45 seconds. Add green beans and water. Cover, and stir occasionally until beans are bright green and water has mostly evaporated, 6-8 minutes. If green beans need more time, add 2 tablespoons water and stir occasionally, 1-3 minutes. Remove from burner and season with salt and pepper to taste

To serve, place the steak on the plate, topping steaks with blue cheese butter. Garnish dish with remaining green onions. Add green beans and fingerling potatoes on the side.

Bon appétit!

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All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

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