45 Minute Meal -- Really: Pork Marsala with Roasted Potatoes

I want to like 30 minute meals but I don't. I don't like cooking with crappy canned and processed food. I also don't like being duped into recipes that promise quick cooking time...as long as you have done all your prep work beforehand....that is the whole point...if I had time to dice carrots, I wouldn't need your damn 30 minute recipe.

So I have set about trying to create and document my own creations, recipe adaptations, and ideas for those of us who work and need to create good food sometime before 11 pm. One of my best (only?) skills is time management and that is something that I feel like I can contribute to parts of the recipe world. Good time management and organization is really the key to cooking great meals quickly -- after all, that's how our favorite restaurants get things out the door in an efficient manner. This is a meat and potatoes starter...and my first stab at writing a really detailed recipe, so if you see room for improvement, please let me know.

Pork Marsala with Roasted Red Potatoes -- 45 minutes

Task 1: Prepare (5 minutes) and Roast Potatoes (40 minutes)
Items Needed:
1 lb red potatoes
1 Tb fresh thyme or herb of choice(I simply run my fingers down the thyme twig in the opposite direction of the leaves) Adjust quantity as desired
1/4 c olive oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Scrub and dry potatoes
3. Cut potatoes in half onto cooking sheet (I like to roast on a 'jelly roll' or high sided pan)
4. Drizzle 1/4 c olive oil over the potatoes. Sprinkle with heavy pinch of kosher salt , 20 twists of pepper, and recently liberated TB of thyme.
5. Mix potatoes with bare hands (or gloves) until potatoes are reasonably covered with oil and seasonings
6. Rinse Hands
7. Place potatoes in oven, set timer to 40 minutes.

Task 2. Prepare (10 minutes) and cook Pork Marsala
Items Needed:
1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
10 twists pepper
1 tsp paprika
Around 1 lb pork loin
2 Tb olive oil
1 package pre-sliced mushrooms (buy whole if you have an extra 5 minutes)
1 bunch scallions
1 Tb Mustard
1/2 c Marsala
1/2 c chicken stock

1. Get a bowl and stir together 1/4 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 10 twists pepper, and 1 tsp paprika
2. Take your pork tenderloin, rinse, and pat dry. Cut tenderloin into 6 medallions.
3. Wash hands
4. Get a large skillet. If you are skilled at meat and heat, use non stick because the deglazing process will yeild a much richer result. If not, teflon up.
5. Put 2 Tb olive oil in skillet and set to medium high heat
6. Take pork medallions and dip each into the flour mixture, pressing lightly to coat both sides and edges. Once you are finished dipping all 6 and rinsing your hands again, the oil should be ready.
7. Saute flour coated medallions in pan for about 5 minutes on each side. Watch your heat carefully and adjust heat/oil as needed for your range, however, don't move them around too much or they won't brown well.
8. Meanwhile, use the 10 minute saute time to rinse and dice up those scallions.

Interlude: At this point you will be about 20 minutes into things. Take 5 minutes and pull your intrepid potatoes from the oven and give them a stir or if you're neurotic like me, flip each one over for maximum browning.

9. Depending on the thickness of your medallions and how rare you like your pork, pull the medallions from the pan, put on a plate, and cover with foil. You can a. stick them in the oven with the potatoes to finish for 5 mintues, or simply set aside to rest.

10. Introduce 8 oz pre-sliced mushrooms and bunch of diced scallions to the hot oil in skillet (which is now empty of pork). Use moisture of vegetables to scrape up brown bits in pan for about 5 minutes (mushrooms should be well browned).

11. Add 1 TB of mustard and stir until vegetables are coated. Now deglaze with Marsala first, followed by chicken stock. Keep stirring and adjust heat downward closer to medium. Bring sauce to a simmer and it should thicken nicely.

12. When reduced by about half, re-introduce pork and drippings to the pan of sauce and make sure the pork is coated and warm.

13. About this time, your timer should go off and you should rescue your potatoes from the oven.

14. Plate and eat (in time for bed).

Holiday Premieres...Seattle Four Seasons & ART Restaurant

Tis the season and all that so an industrious group of pioneers (ok just three of us) set out all the way across the street to try the new Four Seasons restaurant for lunch. All of the reviews that I have seen thus far have been for dinner and so I was really curious about the lunch experience which was quite a bit different.

The first thing that G, C, and I noticed was that the space was nothing like what we expected -- nothing like a typical Four Seasons. The space during the day is spectacularly open, large, and so bright that you hardly notice the pulsating light blocks surrounding the counter and bar that seem to have offended several reviewers. The space was also filled with ladies who lunch -- not a plus or a minus, just an observation. G must have been one of the only men in the place. But it WAS filled which is wonderful in these sorrowful times for the restaurant biz.

Onto the food... the gimmick, if you will, at ART is incorporating your own personal artistry into the food. The counter menu invites you to sample raw, cured, or warm items and combine them with a long list of sauces. These items are then served with paintbrushes with which you can apply said sauces. Though this idea seems whimsical and wonderful, the implementation was somehow lacking. Ordering was cumbersome (default suggestions would have been welcome) and service of said items was harried...even though we had a four top for three people, space became limited. G and C both had fancy-pants chicken club sandwiches and I had a 'TV Tray' lunch (above) featuring small portions of protein (seared ahi for me), fries, soup, and dessert on a four spot plate. Our server was sweet, but nervous and my food came out decidedly lukewarm and G & C's plates looked a little empty honestly. Note in the picture that the restaurant was using crinkle cups by Robert Brandt which really is art.

We'll be back, I'm sure. The kinks in service timing and coreography will be worked out and perhaps my confidence with the paintbrushes will be bolstered somehow. It seems like an even better place for a glass of wine in the evening. And then there's one last part of the whole experience -- stopping by Fran's Chocolates in the lobby for a little dessert on the way back to the office. I had a mocha and one of C's hazlenut crunch truffles and a wonderful time.

Seattle's Best Mac and Cheese

After the lobster macaroni and cheese at Purple in downtown Seattle, I thought I had found Mac and Cheese perfection. And its still some damn fine Mac and Cheese. I also have to say on a personal note that anyone who puts tomatoes in their Mac and Cheese is also great by me. Before I moved to Seattle, I thought I was crazy for that habit, but it comes that way in several establishments here such as the Icon Grill (who also makes a very good baked Mac and Cheese with a side of melty cheese in a pitcher.)

But sorry Purple and Icon, you lose. On the recommendation of the wonderful staff at 94 Stewart in Pike Place Market, I had the best Mac and Cheese I have ever eaten. Come visit, I will take you there and we can have some together. I have no idea how she gets so much flavor in a cheese sauce. This particular visit was a lunch visit, but the food has been consistent during subsequent visits. Our Irish friend asked what the big deal about Mac and Cheese was at nice restaurants in America and I reiterated that its actually really tough to do correctly. 94 Stewart nails it.

Bagels

This week, Beef requested bagels. I found this great blog and resulting bagel recipe: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/bagels. I wanted an overnight recipe because I know that good gluten development is really the key to the texture I was looking for (bagel...not round white bread ala supermarket bagel like object). I followed her instructions which worked perfectly with a couple of notes/changes.

• I was unable/inept at finding Malt syrup or powder. I live in Seattle, this shouldn't be difficult, but alas I did not get it done. I used honey for sweetener.
• Kneading is a good arm and back workout. Especially when your kitchen lights are floods.
• I lengthened the second baking time by 5 minutes because my bagels were not brown enough at 10 minutes.
• I used King Arthur Bread flour.
• I sprinkled three with poppy seeds and three with fleur de sel.
• Two people cannot eat a dozen bagels in five days before they leave town unless they are very dedicated to the cause.

October in Cape Cod

I can't believe its Thanksgiving already...

All of my favorite food blogs are filled with Turkey and traditional dishes which is all fine and well. However, I have prepared more than my share of Turkey in my lifetime -- over 200! -- (that story is for another post) and I am now less than fond of the whole shebang. So here is a little rewind to October, when I experienced some beautiful Cape Cod in the fall.

Each year in October, one of the vendors that I subscribe to in the riveting world of financial research hosts an annual conference in Chatham at the Chatham Bars Inn, one of the most picturesque places I have ever been.

Since my East Coast experiences have largely centered on this place and the city of Boston alone, it makes sense that I hold it somewhat dear despite quirks that I would gripe about elsewhere. As you can see, the hotel is beautiful, right on the beach. Each time, I have been fortunate enough to have a cottage on the water, though this year the pack of elephants upstairs made the experience a bit less than tranquil.

Each year there is also an option to participate in an activity. While the militant individualist in me balks at this sort of thing, it really is a nice opportunity in a casual setting to share common interests with the other attendees. Instead of touring as I did last year, I opted to take part in a cooking class. It turns out that instead of a class, it was more of a competition to make chowder...a competition with helpful tips. My team consisted of two sponsoring company reps in addition to the wife of another attendee. We were shown ingredients of all kinds (and were given access to anything we thought of in the interim) and given a base list of recipes for traditional, red, and vegetarian chowders.

We were also instructed on the dispatching of lobsters, one of the primary ingredients in just about everything at the Inn (including the delicious lobster roll above that I ate while waiting to check in). Apparently some folks believe that if you soothe the lobster before killing it, it is both more humane and the meat tastes better. The chef assured us that lobsters didn't feel much pain (he seemed to have as much reverence for lobster as I do for turkey) and took care of them for us despite the lesson.

Our team came in last sadly, due to under-salting which I take some blame for. I love salt and I generally think most things are under-salted. I did not speak up when I should have, thinking I would offend other sensibilities. Later, the chef salted the chowder for us to show us just how cowardly we had been and told us we would have scored a lot better had we just seasoned the stuff correctly. However, it was a wonderful time and our chowder really was quite beautiful. After a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc isn't everything?

Tea for Three

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining two friends for afternoon tea. These days, it seems we are discouraged from the frivolity of taking the time to spend an hour or so catching up on the news and having some tea, but the tradition is beginning to find a foothold again and spots all over are serving tea of varying formality levels. Claremont Mckenna, my alma mater, served an informal tea every afternoon at four as a nod to its Oxford inspirational roots.

The three of us took tea at a delightful spot just north of the University District called Queen Mary. The shop is crowded, but the thoughtful decor lends itself to feeling cozy rather than chintzy and most of the staff seem to genuinely care about the experience. Lots of patrons were wearing tiaras and hats and enjoying a few "princess moments" while several little girls looked like they were having the time of their lives. 

We each ordered a different tea with V ordering a creamy Earl Grey, W ordering a fruity green, while I chose a silver oolong. We

 started with three sorbets (spicy peach, rhubarb, and mango which was my favorite) and a shortbread. Shortly thereafter the tower arrived with sweets, savories, and fruit. The variety was wonderful and highlights for me were the chicken almond salad sandwich, the sausage rolls, and the carrot cake bites. Everything was small, but we all ended up stuffed. It was a first afternoon tea for V who is from Mons, Belgium and she got to put a pin on the big world map in the back of the shop. Hooray for new traditions and V please come back to visit soon!

Taking the Test -- Omnivore's 100

This has been around for awhile, but I have been wanting to submit my answers and see how truly well fed I have been... This is, of course, courtesy of the Very Good Taste blog.

Instructions:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold(or italicize) all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.


The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martin
i58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
(PS. The list has generated a lot of questions, so I’ve created an FAQ for it over here!)

I heart my CSA basket

We are so lucky in Seattle to have a large year-round public market and an above average community relationship with local growers. At our house, we have been members of a Community Supported Agriculture program from several local farms over the years. This year, we are receiving produce (on Wednesdays for 22 weeks) from Tiny's Organics in Wenatchee, Washington.

Participating in a CSA has done several things for us. First, it has taught us about so many different foods that we didn't know about or how to prepare and has widened our horizons in a big way. As we are both from the northern to central "midwest" we were pretty familiar with the starch and meat equation but not with the tremendous variety. I had no idea what sorrel or mizuna was four years ago. Secondly, it has taught us to value fresh, local ingredients. Chef Beef's father is a farmer in Ohio, so we have mixed feelings about swearing allegiance to the organic movement, however, we believe heavily in the local food movement for the simple facts that it supports the local economy and tastes a lot better.

Thirdly, it has vastly increased our vegetable consumption (which was not terrible before). There was a time when Chef Beef could not have imagined eating only vegetables for dinner. This year's basket is also relatively fruit heavy. I have no talent for canning or preserving, but I have pawned off an awful lot of fruit crisp this summer from pluot crisp to apple crisp.

Pike Place market itself provides produce throughout the year in addition to local butchers, cheese crafters, arts, dairies, food vendors and flowers...(for the decoration-ally challenged).

Weekly Lunch Splurge -- Steelhead Diner

Lest you worry that I will only be a one note blogger, I introduce a new feature: Weekly Lunch Splurge. I will tell confess where I ate a brilliant lunch this week as opposed to a smushy sandwich from the cafeteria upstairs or questionable noodles from up the street.

Given my love of weird food, odd combinations, and utter devotion to carbohydrates despite their relatively unfashionable reputation, the Steelhead Diner in Pike's Place Market is the place to eat lunch.

Typically I try to be somewhat budget conscious during the week, but when I want to spend $25+ on lunch (which I do maybe once a week) I try to do it somewhere fun and different. Yesterday, I sampled the heirloom tomato/pesto/and hand pulled mozzarella (from neighboring partner Beecher's cheese) and a side of potato latkes. First, its amazing you can get a side of potato latkes because they are not exactly common Seattle restaurant fare. It was a great lunch and accompanied by a cold glass of blackberry lemonade. I don't know what was up with the pineapples. They were everywhere.

I highly recommend getting in on the heirloom tomato crop while they are fresh. Spend the extra money and eat them fresh...you'll see tomatoes in a new light.

Nostalgia and Meatballs

Once upon a time, in college, I didn't eat meat. I just didn't like the taste of it. But when I finally started back on it, this recipe became one of my favorites.

These old fashioned meatballs were one of my grandmother's specialties even though we are sadly not even a little bit Italian. Combined with a quick Marinara and some pasta, I cannot think of many better meals. Hand me a restaurant meatball and I will likely hand it right back to you. The simple original Meatball recipe consists of...

3/4 lb ground beef

1/4 lb ground pork

1 cup fine breadcrumbs

1/2 cup milk

1 T fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic

2 eggs

1/2 c grated parmesan

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Gently combine all and shape into 1-2 inch balls. Saute in olive oil until well browned.

Chef Beef went to the store and found they were out of ground pork. We substituted some mild italian sausage and it might have been a little overseasoned in the end, but still quite delicious. It was served with my own Marinara:

1 white onion

2 cloves of garlic diced

(saute these in olive oil for about 2 minutes)

1 large can Muir Glenn chunky tomato sauce
1 T fresh basil

1 T fresh parsley

6 fresh tomatoes diced

1 medium pinch salt

10 twists pepper

2 T (generous pour) of mid grade balsalmic vinegar.

(simmer till thickened)

We used whole wheat fettucini which held up almost too well for the sauce. CB also made some garlic cheese toast under the broiler with a baugette he found, parmesan, and garlic butter.

The following evening, CB built big grinders with the leftover baguette, meatballs, and sauce. Normally, we are not leftover superstars (we have removed our microwave from the kitchen), but this time we triumphed. And continued to dream of being Italian.

Fresh Ground Burger Craze

Because I cannot pass up a bandwagon when it comes to cooking, we successfully tried the fresh ground beef craze about a month ago. The Food Network tends to be my default channel when there is nothing on (and that is often) so I have watched numerous celeb chefs recently demonstrate the technique with grinders and processors and wholeheartedly extol its virtues.

Almost 2 years ago, we bought a 1/4 of a cow, thinking it would be an economical way to satisfy our beef intake. (If you didn't know, 1/4 of a cow fits into a top freezer and can be ordered from your butcher cut in a variety of ways to fit your lifestyle.) So we ate the hamburger. And we ate the steaks. Then we ate the stew meat. And then there were roasts. Big roasts, small roasts, pot roasts, arm roasts, rib roasts...you get the picture. Though when pressed, I can make a roast, its not my favorite food.

Maybe, we thought, those roasts would be better served as part of a burger. An arm roast worked well for this venture, combined with a lonely chuck steak for a little higher fat content on the grill. We found that small batches of cubed meat in the Cuisinart pulsed about 12 times (a longer pulse than you'd use for crumbs) worked really well. Make sure you get picky and cut out all the connective tissue because its just not fun to bite into. The fries on the side of the picture are parmesan oven fries done with Yukon Gold potatoes. For minimal effort, not only can you have better control of your ground beef, but you can use up those roasts you might have stashed in the freezer but really should use. Overall, it was a success and a technique I was hesitant to try, but now fully endorse.