Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [78]
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed
3 pounds small purple-fleshed or red-skinned potatoes
6 cups purchased mesclun salad mix or mixed salad greens
12 radishes, thinly sliced
6 scallions, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup olive oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil
Several dashes of hot red pepper sauce to taste
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Mix the garlic, chili powder, 2 tablespoons lime juice, oregano, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub this mixture into the tenderloins; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the potatoes and boil until tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Drain in a colander set in the sink. When cool enough to handle, quarter each potato.
Preheat the broiler; line the broiler pan with aluminum foil. Broil the tenderloins 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 155°F (our preference) or 170°F (the USDA recommendation), about 15 to 18 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice into thin rounds.
Divide the greens among six serving plates. Top with the sliced tenderloin, quartered potatoes, radishes, and scallions.
Place the remaining ¼ cup lime juice and salt in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in the hot red pepper sauce.
Spoon the dressing over the composed salads, then top with the cilantro before serving.
Variations: Add any of the following to the salad: 12 black or green olives, pitted and halved; 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced; 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced; or ¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts.
Thai-Inspired Beef Salad
Most Southeast Asian salads are chopped salads eaten in lettuce cups; here, we’ve Americanized the presentation by creating a composed salad on greens. Makes 4 servings
1 pound London broil, trimmed
½ cup bottled chili sauce, such as Heinz
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small shallots, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon Asian red chili paste
2 tablespoons peanut oil, preferably an Asian bottling
8 cups purchased mesclun salad mix or mixed salad greens
24 basil leaves, torn into shreds
12 mint leaves, torn into shreds
Place the London broil in a baking dish that will just hold it. Whisk the chili sauce, honey, and cumin in a small bowl; pour over the steak. Turn it to coat it well, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Preheat the broiler; line the broiler rack with aluminum foil. Remove the London broil from the marinade; discard the marinade.
Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat until medium rare, turning once, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak registers 125°F (our preference) or 145°F (the USDA recommendation), 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.
Run your fingers over the steak to see which way the grain runs, then slice the steak against the grain into 1-inch strips. (To determine a steak’s grain,.) If desired, cut each into bite-sized pieces.
Whisk the shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chili paste in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the peanut oil.
Toss the greens, basil, and mint in a large bowl. Add the lime juice dressing and toss to coat.
Divide the dressed greens among four serving plates. Lay the beef slices over the top before serving.
Variations: Add 4 large radishes, thinly sliced; 1 large carrot, shredded through the holes of a box grater; or 1 small cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced to the greens.
Soups
ALMOST EVERY CULTURE HAS ITS SOUP-AS-PENICILLIN MYTH: CHICKEN IN Jewish and Chinese homes, potato or lamb among Irish families, peanut in sub-Saharan enclaves. That’s because soup is immediately and identifiably comforting. It’s