Volume 8, Issue 120 - June 24, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

I would like to thank my wife Pam for her work getting this week's recipes in order. We hope you enjoyed them. Next week our friend Chef Jennifer Gordon from England will host the Recipe Club. She will give us insight on traditional English recipes and their preparation. I think you will find them to be very interesting. Have a great weekend, you deserve it.

Venison America has the highest quality game & domestic meats, unmatched customer service, special product research and sourcing per customer request.

Pork Loin and Apricots with Beer-Mustard Sauce

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pork loin, approximately 4 pounds
salt to taste
3 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon mild paprika
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 cups lager style beer, or up to 4 cups (see note)
1 large onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups dried apricots
2 teaspoons apricot preserves
2/3 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub the roast generously with salt, pepper and paprika.

Spread the sugar on a cutting board. Spread the mustard over the pork and roll it in the sugar. Place the roast in a roasting pan and add 1 1/2 cups of the beer, the onion and the apricots. Roast for 45 minutes, pour the rest of the beer into the pan and continue roasting until the juices run clear when tested with a skewer and the internal temperature reads 150 to 160 degrees, about 45 minutes.

Remove the pork from the roasting pan and cover loosely with foil. Place the pan with the pan juices on a burner and add the apricot preserves, stirring to dissolve. Add the stock, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and cook over medium-high heat until a little reduced, about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and drizzle in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a sauceboat.

Slice the meat into thin slices and serve accompanied by the sauce.

Note:

Take a good look at the amount of liquid in the roasting pan at the halfway mark before adding more beer. Depending on your taste, the initial 1 1/2 cups provided plenty of liquid for the sauce.

For a finer more pourable sauce, chop the apricots before adding them to the pan, or purée the finished sauce in a food processor or blender (work in batches so the hot liquid doesn't overflow.)

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Pork Loin Mexicana

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Rub:

1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
one 3 1/2 pound boneless center-cut pork loin, sliced lengthwise end to end through the center, butterfly style

Fruit Salsa:

1 cup fresh orange juice
2 small ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma
1 small ripe banana, chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, minced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground dried red chili powder, preferably ancho
2 garlic cloves, minced
dash cider vinegar

Filling:

6 ounces uncooked chorizo
1 egg
1/2 medium onion, minced
3 scallions, sliced

Mexicana Mop:

juice of 2 oranges
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation:

The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Massage the pork with the rub inside and out. Wrap the meat in a small plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Before you begin to barbecue, prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate it until needed.

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing bringing the temperature to 200 to 220 degrees F.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the filling ingredients. Stuff the loin with the chorizo mixture and tie it with kitchen twine in several places.

Mix together the mop ingredients in a small saucepan and keep the liquid warm over low heat. Warm a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the loin and sear it quickly on all sides. Transfer the pork to the smoker. Cook for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours, basting the loin at 30 to 40 minute intervals in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for your style of smoker.

After the initial cooking period, remove the pork from the smoker and wrap it in heavy-duty foil, pouring about 2 tablespoons of the mop and 1 cup of the salsa over the meat. Discard any remaining mop. Seal the edges of the foil well. Return the pork to the smoker for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, cooking to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Allow the pork to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve slices topped with spoonfuls of the salsa. Offer the remaining salsa on the side.

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Pork Medallions with Sherry Almond Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 cup slivered onions
1 cup sliced almonds
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin strips
1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced 1/3 inch thick
2/3 cup golden or medium sherry
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil with the garlic in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add almonds, cook and toss 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Remove almonds with slotted spoon, set aside.

Add onions and bell pepper to skillet, sauté 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet, increase heat to high and add pork. Sauté, tossing occasionally until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Return bell pepper mixture to skillet. Add sherry. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in almonds and parsley. Serve with steamed rice or mashed potatoes.

Source: Almond Board of California