My Culinary Eureka 2007

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Nicholas Mosher

Sous Chef
Joined
Sep 20, 2006
Messages
768
Location
Massachusetts
I just had one of the most amazing dishes that has ever hit my mouth.

There are a few magazines I purchase to keep up with culinary trends, and a recent recipe caught my eye. It featured pork, sweet potatoes, and a blueberry pan sauce. It really caught my attention, and I found myself thinkinf about it for a few hours - running through the recipe and how to make it even better.

It's not too often I eat something (whether at home or in a restaurant) that truely knocks my socks off, but thats exactly what this dish just did. It follows the theme of the recipe I read, but uses better stuff - some that take a few steps to bring about. Super delicious, and I plan to make it again tomorrow for company.

Roast Pork Tenderloin w/Sweet Potato Mash and Blueberry-Port Pan Sauce

The harmony of this dish is like a culinary orchestra. Don't overcook the pork, and make sure to use either demiglace or glace (reduced "low-sodium" beef broth from the carton just doesn't do pan sauces justice and is way to salty). If you have roast pork glace use it! If the fresh grocery store blueberries taste bland, use a good frozen brand.

2 Small Pork Tenderloins
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 Bunch Chives - Minced
1-C Blueberries
1/2 Shallot - Minced
1/4-C Port
1/4-C Roasted Veal/Pork Glacé
1-T Balsamic Vinegar
1-T Brown Sugar
5-T Butter
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Serves Four.

Preheat the oven to 375º. Wash the sweet potatoes, prick liberally with a fork, and place directly on the oven rack (place a sheet of tin foil on the rack below to catch any syrup that drips from the fork punctures).

Trim the tendons from the tenderloins, and remove the skinny tips (reserve for another use). Season the tenderloins with salt & pepper, and rub them down with a tablespoon of the butter. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a 10" frypan over medium-high heat until it stops foaming. Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then place the pan in the oven to finish. Remove the tenderloins to a cutting board when their internal temperatures reach 145ºF - allow them to rest while making the pan sauce. They will have a slight blush of pink in the center.

Place the frypan over medium heat and add the minced shallot. Once softened, deglaze the pan with the port and reduce by half. Add the glacé, vinegar, blueberries, sugar, and simmer/reduce until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Remove the pan from the heat, and swirl in a tablespooon of butter along with a large pinch of minced chives. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a food mill. Run through into a mixing bowl, then fold in 3 tablespoons of butter, juice from half a lemon, and a large pinch of chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the tenderloin in 1/2-3/4" thick slices. I got about 16 slices from two tenderloins (four per person). Add the juices to the blueberry pan sauce.

Using warm plates/low bowls, place a scoop of the sweet potatoes followed by a few spoonfulls of pan sauce and four slices of the roast pork. Finish with a pinch of chives and coarsely ground black pepper.

bbpork.jpg


This is seriously good food. I would serve it with a light starter and maybe a lemony dessert. I skipped lunch today and ate two portions of it tonight. Still munching on a third portion hehe... :pig:
 
:) Great combinations this should work quite well with venison also.
Another version you might like a bit of cinnamon in the sweet potatoes or omit chives in sauce and put a little cinnamon in it
 
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Ooh, cinnamon sounds interesting. I was actually thinking of adding a bit of nutmeg to the potatoes and pan sauce, but chickened out.

I don't have much experience with "game" meats like venison, but I want to experiment with 'em someday. Rabbit is right up there on my list along with quail and pheasant.

Oh, and thanks to whoever corrected the spelling of the thread!

I'll be making this dinner again tonight for company! So so good... :pig:
I'll probably start with some mesclun tossed with a mustard based vinaigrette and garlic croutons. Still thinking a lemony dessert... maybe some baked puff pastry rounds with lemon curd and a citrus-y cream.
 
Nice dish. The one addition that I would probably make would be to wrap the tenderloin in either pancetta or bacon. That would give the meat more flavor, and the bacon/pancetta will pair very well with both the sauce and the starch.
 
oh, man, you're killling me. thanks nick, great find in a recipe. copied.

and i.c., the bacon/pancetta would add a nice salty touch v.s. the sweet ingredients. what about caul fat, if you just want the moisture?

how about adding a little maple syrup to the sweet potatoes, if the blueberries aren't too sweet.
 
oh, man, you're killling me. thanks nick, great find in a recipe. copied.

and i.c., the bacon/pancetta would add a nice salty touch v.s. the sweet ingredients. what about caul fat, if you just want the moisture?

how about adding a little maple syrup to the sweet potatoes, if the blueberries aren't too sweet.

Caul fat would work, but I just love the flavor and texture that bacon and pancetta brings. Even wrapping the tenderloin in something like prosciutto or serrano ham would be delicious. I wrap anything in bacon/pancetta/prosciutto: scallops, shrimp, fish, steak, chicken roulades, vegetables. I could live on it if I didn't value my health.
 
Oh, wrapping the tenderloin in bacon sounds perfect! I will most definitely try that next time!

I also like the maple syrup idea - perhaps swapping it in for the brown sugar, and adding a touch of dark molasses to maintain that slight flavor component the brown sugar brings.

My girlfriend enjoyed the meal on Saturday. This dish will most definitely be amongst my favorites to sling when I need to impress - haha... :pig: :LOL:
 
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