Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin (Sous Vide)

Happy President's Day!

Just took the Adorable Monster out for his morning jaunt and fed him his kibble (poor thing doesn't eat human food). I may hit the farmer's market this morning and maybe do a little shopping with some friends. Dinner is still up in the air—any suggestions?

Was thinking of maybe making mussels and fries. Yum yum yum.

In the meantime, here's one of my favorite sous vide recipes I've made using my Sous Vide Supreme—Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin. This dish was inspired by the restaurant Salt's Cure in Los Anegeles, which does a killer chili-rubbed braised pork shoulder over stone ground grits. I decided to cook a version of it with pork tenderloin and cooked sous vide, although this recipe could easily be made with conventional cooking methods as well.

I served it with an Apple-Ginger Relish (recipe here) and over stone ground grits. It can be plated individually, or served family style as I did for New Year's Eve.

Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin (Sous Vide)

Serves 2 people
Prep time: 15 minutes; Sous Vide Cooking Time: 2.5 hours
Gluten-free; dairy-free

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin (cut into two pieces/logs)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 pats of butter
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (for searing)

Directions

1. Fill the Sous Vide Supreme with water and preheat to 135-140 degrees, depending on desired degree of doneness (135 = medium rare and my preference, 140 = medium).

2. Meanwhile, rub the pork chops with the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Place each piece of pork tenderloin into a separate plastic bag with a pat of better. Vacuum seal both bags.

3. Once the Sous Vide Supreme has reached the proper temperature (hint—filling it up with hot water will help it heat up faster), place the pork tenderloin bags in the water bath, making sure that the meat is submerged and that the bags are not touching each other. Cook the pork tenderloin in the Sous Vide Supreme for about two hours to reach pasteurization (though it can stay in longer).

4. Remove the pork tenderloin from the Sous Vide Supreme and cut open the bags to remove the meat. In a saute pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Quickly, sear the pork tenderloin on all sides until nicely caramelized (about 1 minute per side). Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

5. To plate, layer the slices and top with the Apple-Ginger Relish. Enjoy!

My Bookshelf: "Wheat Belly" by William Davis, MD

Let me start by saying that I have tons of great recipes to write up, already cooked, already photographed. Let me continue by saying that I'm crunched for time right now.

It's a high class problem.

My agents LOVE my new book. That's super duper awesome. It means that my novel will be going on submission to publishers (it's young adult science fiction in case you're curious). I'm very proud of the book and hope it will find a great home. It's also responsible for my time crunch. My agents gave me a set of notes, so I'm working hard to turn around revisions in a timely manner. 

Adding to the pile, we've just attached a director to my romantic comedy script. So right after the book, I'll be rolling right into revisions on that project.

Like I said—a high class problem.

You can read more about my fiction and TV/film endeavors on my author website here.

I promise to get back to posting recipes on a regular schedule soon (and I have hundreds of recipes in my archives). In the meantime, I thought I'd share this book that's rocking my world—WHEAT BELLY by William Davis, MD. I suspect that I harbor a wheat intolerance (and that's the reason why this blog is largely gluten-free, with some exceptions that can easily be adapted). 

But recently, I'd allowed wheat (mostly in it's whole grain form) to creep back into my diet. It happened slowly and then suddenly, and I've found myself with health problems that I used to experience back in my wheat-eating days (sinus issues, fatigue, insomnia, etc.). Now I can't say definitively that they're caused by wheat, but I'm going back on a strict gluten-free regimen to see if it helps. 

While pursuing that, I came across this bestelling book and picked it up. The author makes the argument that the genetically-altered strain of wheat that we call "modern" wheat has crept into almost every aspect of the American diet and causes a litany of health problems, most notably the obesity he calls "wheat belly." Of course, I've known this for years, but he puts the pieces together with a well-researched history of wheat. I also learned that whole wheat bread is just as high on the glycemic index as white bread, and even HIGHER than sugar. Uh, what?!

Of course, there's a lot of nuance to the argument, but the proof is in the pudding. The author is a cardiologist who notes that when his patients go on a wheat-free diet, they lose weight, their blood pressure and blood sugar go back to normal levels, and they can get off their medications.

He also has a blog that many people like—Wheat Belly Blog.

I'll report back on my GF experiment. 

And here's the link to the book if you'd like to purchase it from Amazon.

New Restaurant Opening: Smashburger Debuts in LA!

Smashburger has opened in LA.

Already excited for this restaurant, I jumped when my invitation arrived to be one of the lucky food bloggers to sample the entire menu on a warm, sunny January day. The location is technically in Culver City (the other Southern California location is in Thousand Oaks).

Let's just start with the Smashburger itself. Juicy, tender, great seasoning—the burger lived up to its reputation. I sampled Classic Burger with Smashburger Fries (start with the basics). The favorite burger was the L.A.—made with crispy wonton, fried egg, cilantro, cucumber, and ginger dressing.

We were invited to view the special process as demonstrated by Tom Ryan, the CEO and Chief Concept Officer. The ground beef is loosely packed (and not put through a traditional meat grinder). The key part of the process is when the meat is "smashed" with a patented press.

It's then generously seasoned with a salt and pepper mixture.

Sweet Potato Fries

Other highlights of the menu included the Sweet Potato Fries. If you're craving something healthier, you can do a side of "Veggie Frites"—flash-fried carrot sticks and green beans. Very tasty.

Fresh Mex Veggie Black Bean Burger

If you're not in the mood for beef, the chicken options are stellar. The chicken breast is pounded thin and marinated. Any burger option can be made with chicken instead. And if you're hoping for a vegetarian option, the Fresh Mex Veggie Black Bean Burger was awesome. The biggest surprise, considering that Smashburger is known for being burger restaurant, was the quality of the salads. If you're hoping for something on the lighter side, try the Baja Cobb and add the chicken.

I loved the burger, but the milkshakes made my day. Using Haagan-Dazs ice cream, I loved both the vanilla and the strawberry. Malts are also available in tempting flavors like Butterfinger and Chai. There's also an IBC Root Beer Float.

Vanilla Shake

So if you're in the neighborhood, or looking for a fun foodie field trip, check on the new Smashburger in Culver City (Los Angeles, CA). And now I'm hungry...

Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Smashburger, but received no compensation and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup

Happy new year!

Can you believe it's 2013? Did you make your new year resolutions?

I've got about ten or so... you can read about them here on my author blog. One very exciting possibility—a cookbook based on my blog. I'll provide more details as it starts to come together.

After spending a week back East cooking with my mother, I was inspired to whip up a feast for New Year's Eve. I started the meal with this Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup. The squash is roasted in the oven and then pureed into a velvety rich soup, spiked with curry powder and coconut milk. I garnish it with lump crab meat, cilantro, and toasted pepitos—this adds both texture and flavor.

The resulting soup is spicy, decadent, and creamy (but without dairy). To make it vegan, simply leave out the crab. This is perfect dish for these cold January days.

Curried Butternut Squash Crab Soup

Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about one hour
Gluten-free; dairy-free; easy to veganize

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 tablespoon maple syrup
salt and freshly ground pepper

for garnishing:
fresh cilantro, chopped
toasted pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
lump crab meat (about 1/4 cup per serving)
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place the squash in a roasting pan. Rub the inside of the squash with the olive oil, thyme, and chili flakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the squash face down and poke holes in the skin with a knife. Roast the squash in the oven for about 50 minutes or until tender.

3. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skin and place it in a blender. Add the curry powder, garlic cloves, maple syrup, and vegetable stock and puree until smooth, adding more stock as needed for desired consistence.

4. Pour the newly pureed soup into a pot on the stovetop. Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the crab, cilantro  and pepitos. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.  Enjoy!

Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year!

My resolution this year is to continue on this culinary journey that I started several years ago. I want to cook and share healthy fabulous food. What more can I ask for?

To ring in the new year, I'm having friends over for dinner and preparing a yummy meal of Curried Butternut Squash Soup garnished with crab and cilantro, Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin (sous vide) over stone ground grits, and roasted baby broccoli. My hubby is going to open up his wine cellar (Quilceda Creek, Saxum, and more!). Recipes and pictures are sure to follow.

Wishing you a wonderful and delicious 2013! Cheers!