Pineapple Stuffed Chicken Breast

It's March 2nd. The holidays are a couple months behind us now, and I have been noticing more and more of my friends becoming homesick during this long stretch between family visits. Though we surely do not miss the stress of shopping, wrapping, decorating, entertaining, and all the rest that the holiday season requires, we do miss that warm fuzzy feeling of holiday time. At least I do...(If you're reading this, Mom or Mom-in-law, hugs...)

For most of us, the holidays are associated with certain types of foods. I know that I can count on my mother-in-law's homemade ravioli and rich, warm sticky toffee pudding cake for Christmas Eve. For Christmas morning, it's Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. Then for Christmas dinner, my mother's perfectly cooked beef filet, spinach gratin, macaroni and cheese, and for dessert, a trifle of raspberries, pound cake, creme anglaise, toffee, and chocolate. Ohhh, yeeeeaaahhhhh. Of course, we cannot eat this way year-round. We really shouldn't ever eat this way, but, hey, you gotta live, right!?

I know for a lot of people, a big, juicy ham tiled with slices of pineapple and decorated with cherries and cloves ring in the holidays. There is something so heart-warming to think of the cook of the house pulling a plump, pineapple-y ham out of the oven. The salt of the ham plays cheerfully with the sweetness of the pineapple. The juicy crackle of the skin gives way to the tender meat underneath.

So, I created this dish as an homage to the holiday ham...lightened up for pre-swimsuit season and sped up for weeknight practicality. I hope that you will eat this and get a moment of the warm fuzzies. Enjoy!

2 1-inch thick rings pineapple, cut in half

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon canola oil

fresh pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 slices prosciutto

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, and teaspoon canola oil. Place pineapple in an oven-proof dish and pour vinegar mixture over. Toss to coat.

2. When oven is preheated, roast pineapple for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool completely. (Can be made a day ahead up to this point).

3. Make a pocket in each chicken breast by slicing horizontally through the middle, making sure not to cut all the way through. When pineapple is cooled, stuff each chicken breast with a pineapple slice (cut pineapple lengthwise if needed).

4. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breast, then wrap each breast with a slice of prosciutto.

Put an oven-proof sautee pan over medium-high heat with the remaining canola oil. When oil is hot, put chicken breasts in the pan and do not move them. When the prosciutto is crisp, it will release from the pan. At this point, flip the chicken breasts over and put entire pan into the oven.

5. Roast the chicken breasts until cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Juices will run clear).

Serve alongside steamed green beans for a "holiday" meal any day of the week.

Printable version here.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin, Butternut Squash, and Wild Rice Stew

Fall is here! In Los Angeles, somewhere mid-September I always feel the need to create fall in my apartment since it is not happening outside. So, I pull out my fake leaves, cider-spiced candles, pumpkin salt and pepper shakers, etc. Well, though there are no brightly colored leaves outside to rake into piles and waft their musty sweet scents, the temperatures have dropped enough to make it feel like autumn. This stew is perfect for a chilly fall night. With spices like cloves and cinnamon and fall flavors like butternut squash and apple, this stew says "Welcome, Autumn."

Though this is a little carb-heavy, they're super healthy carbs with lots of nutrition.

1 box wild rice
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 shallot, minced
1 package frozen butternut squash
1/4 cup apple juice
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups chicken broth

1. Prepare wild rice according to package directions. (With spices if included)

2. Over medium-high heat, put one Tablespoon oil into large saucepan. When hot, add shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.

3. Add apple juice, stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, combine cloves through garlic and sprinkle over pork pieces. Toss till all the pork is coated.

5. When squash is done, empty contents of the pan to a bowl and return pan to the stove. Add the other Tablespoon of oil. Turn heat back up to medium-high and add pork. Brown on all sides.

6. Add squash back into pan with the pork and add 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium-low, and simmer. When rice is ready, add to pan. Simmer 20 minutes.

Serves 4.

Printable version here.

Coffee-Ancho Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde over Carrot Puree

It's always fun to use some ingredients, like coffee, in new ways. Everyone thinks of coffee for dessert, but rarely is it used in savory dishes. This is a great use for leftover coffee from your daily A.M. pot. (If you don't make coffee every day--good for you--you can just buy a cup and save it for later).

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and big pieces of fat
1/4 cup CHILLED (room temperature or cooler for safety reasons) coffee
1 Tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
1 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 serrano chili, 1/2 sliced with seeds in, other half de-seeded and minced
salt
5 or 6 Tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 white onion, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
8 small or 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 Tablespoon light sour cream
Beef broth

1. In a large zip lock bag or a glass pan, whisk coffee, chili powder, cumin, 1 T honey, vinegar, oil, half the serrano pepper (with the seeds), and a small pinch of salt.

2. Add pork tenderloin and let marinade for at least 2 hours. (Preferably longer).

3. When ready to cook pork, take out of fridge to get the chill off the meat. Preheat grill to Medium-High. Put the carrots in a microwave-safe bowl with a Tablespoon of water and microwave, covered, for 8 minutes.

4. In a sautee pan, drizzle a teaspoon or so of canola oil (more if needed) and turn heat to Medium. After 30 seconds or so, add chopped onion, garlic, and serrano. Add a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon cumin and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they start to become soft and transparent. Transfer to food processor to cool. Flip pork after 6 minutes or so.

5. When grill is hot, add pork and tomatillos. Keep an eye on the tomatillos as they cook quickly--we're just looking for a nice char on these. They will only take a couple minutes per side. When they are charred, take them off the grill and let them sit for a few minutes to cool. When cooled, peel off charred skin, remove any hard stalks, and transfer to food processor with the onion mixture. Add a teaspoon of honey and run the processor until well combined. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Rinse out processor for the carrot puree.

6. When the pork has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees, take off grill and let sit to redistribute juices.

7. Put carrots in food processor. Add sour cream and a pinch of salt. Run the food processor. Through the feed tube, add beef broth until it reaches desired consistency (like a thin mashed potato).

8. Slice pork and serve over carrot puree. Drizzle any accumulated pork juices over the pork and top with salsa verde.

Serves 2.

Printable version here.

Pork Tenderloin, Broccoli, and Asparagus Stir-Fry

I purchased a pork tenderloin from the meat man at our local Farmer's Market and I was amazed at the difference in color, tenderness, and quality versus my standard grocery store pork. If you have access to a local organic meat farmer, give him or her a try! I'm really glad that I did.

1-1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/4 lite cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon mirin
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon safflower (or other clear, high heat) oil
1 bunch asparagus, sliced diagonally
1 head broccoli, cut into florets


1. Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil in a large freezer bag or bowl. Add pork, cover, and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

2. When ready to cook, put heavy large pan or wok over high heat until very hot. Add oil and using tongs, pull pork out of marinade (reserving marinade) and add to pan. Sautee quickly until no longer pink. Meanwhile, mix cornstarch into marinade. Remove from pan and put on a plate.

3. Add vegetables to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add marinade and cook another minute. Add pork back into pan and cook for 1 more minute. Serve over Sesame-Cashew Brown Rice.

Serves 2-4.

Printable version here.

Apricot and Feta-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Orange Brandy Sauce

Pork goes really well with fruit, so the apricots and the orange in the sauce pair nicely with the super-tender meat.

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
10 dried apricots, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon reduced-fat feta
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. brandy
salt and pepper
e.v.o.o.
Twine

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cut pork tenderloin lengthwise 3/4 of the way through to create a pocket for stuffing, but not going all the way through.

3. Heat 1 Tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium heat in oven-proof pan. Throw in shallot, apricot, and thyme, and sautee until shallots are soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. Add feta.

4. Stuff pork with apricot mixture and tie pork with twine to keep filling in. Salt and pepper the outside of the pork generously.

5. In the same pan, heat another Tablespoon of olive oil over Medium-High heat until glistening. Put in the tenderloin and don't touch. Let brown--it will easily move (won't stick to the pan) when brown. Brown on all sides.

6. Transfer pan to oven and let finish cooking, 15 minutes or so.

7. Take out of pan and let pork rest. Put oven mitt on handle of pan to make sure you don't burn yourself on the stove, and put the hot pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the orange juice. Take off the heat and add brandy. Expect a flame when you put back on the stove as the alcohol burns off. Reduce to a glaze.

8. Remove the twine, cut the pork across the grain and finish with glaze.

Printable version here.