Need Help with Pairing

[brendanemig]

I'm making a pork loin tomorrow for valentines. I'm using a roasted red bell pepper cream sauce. I think this dish would be better than what i'm planning if i stuffed the loin, however, i don't really know what to use. What would y'all pair with roasted red peppers and pork? mushrooms? onions? what should i stuff it with if at all?

The college chef

 

[Haggis]

Something with a bit of bite. You have pork (sweet), roasted red capsicum (sweet) and cream (rich). I feel this is screaming out for something to cut through the sweetness.

Not sure about the stuffing but I would be tempted to serve it with a salad that is quite bitter (wild rocket, radicchio etc) dressed with an acidic vinaigrette (lemon juice or red/white wine vinegar based). This would help provide contrast to the sweetness of the dish and help cut through it.

 

[grumblebee]

For the stuffing, what about something like spinach, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic and feta cheese?

 

[Piccolina]

For the stuffing, what about something like spinach, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic and feta cheese?

Love that idea!

The first thing that popped into my mind was basil, roasted garlic, breadcrumbs and a lot of freshly cracked black pepper.

 

[ironchef]

For a side dish, a saute of wild mushrooms and spinach would be simple, fast, and would go well with the pork and sauce. You can never go wrong with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. If you want to stuff the pork, you could do a Moroccan/Mediterranean fusion stuffing of cured ham, dried apricots, golden raisins, pine nuts, goat cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh thyme.

 

[mish]

Pork Loin Stuffed with Fruitcake
Recipe from: Bless This Food
by Julia M. Pitkin,Karen B. Grant,George Grant
Cookbook Heaven
Servings: 10

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups crumbled fruitcake
• 1 (5 pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup plus 2 ta1espoons Bourbon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Fresh grapes, kumquats, thyme sprigs, canned crabapples for garnish

• In a skillet heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until tender. Remove the skillet from heat, add the fruitcake, and stir well.
• Remove the pork loin from the elastic net. (There should be 2 pieces.) Trim the excess fat. Make a cut lengthwise down the center of each piece, cutting to, but not through, the bottom. Starting from the center cut of each piece, slice horizontally toward each side, stopping 1/2 inch from each edge. Unfold each piece of meat so that it lies flat. Flatten to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of thyme evenly over the pork. Sprinkle the fruitcake mixture over the pork. Roll up each loin half starting with the the long side. Secure with string, and place seam-side down in a shallow roasting pan. Pour apple juice and chicken broth around the rolled pork loins in the pan.
• In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of bourbon and the honey. Brush lightly over the rolled pork loins. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 160 degrees F, basting with the bourbon mixture at 20 minute intervals.
• Remove the pork loins from the pan, reserving the pan drippings. Keep the pork warm.
• In a saucepan bring the pan drippings to a boil, and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to 1 cup. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add the reduced drippings and 2 tablespoons of bourbon, and cook over medium heat; stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the whipping cream.
• Serve the sauce with the sliced pork.

Don't know if you would be interested in any of these sides, starters, etc. for this meal, but if any sound appealing, send up a flare and I would be happy to post the recipes:

Fennel, walnut, apple & cheese salad
Tomato Risotto
Artichoke Crowns topped with saffron Crab
Margarita Seafood Cocktail

 

[Constance]

Mich, I'd like to have the Margarita Seafood Cocktail recipe...I'm planning on shrimp and steak tonight.

As a stuffing for the pork roast, I'd recommend using cooked crumbled Italian Sausage and herb seasoned croutons. (I usually make my own, but Stove Top Stuffing will work too.) Mushrooms or black olives could go in as well.

You could also use bacon crumbles, spinach, sauteed onions and garlic, and the herb seasoned bread croutons.

Another idea is to use a long-grain/wild rice mix, with sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, and sausage or finely diced ham.

 

[mish]

YUM. Surf n turf is one of my favorites, Constance. Happy Valentine's Day!

Seafood Margarita

Makes 2 servings

• 4 jumbo prawns, cooked and peeled (8-12 per pound)
• 4 ounces bay shrimp, cooked
• 2 ounces cooked Dungeness crabmeat
• 6 segments of lime
• 6 segments of orange
• 1/2 cup cubed mango
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt
• Garnish:
• 2 radicchio leaves
• 2 curly endive leaves
• Crispy corn chips
• Cilantro sprigs

Dice 2 of the jumbo prawns. Butterfly the remaining 2 prawns by cutting lengthwise down the backs.

In a medium bowl, mix diced prawns, butterflied prawns, shrimp, crabmeat, lime segments, orange segments, mango, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt to taste and marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Line 2 chilled margarita glasses with radicchio and endive. Spoon mixture into glasses and garnish with corn chips and cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately.

 

[Constance]

Thanks, Mish...looks delish!

Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For a change of pace, yu could also stuff the pork with a mixture of diced patato and carrot, seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, and onion. You could also use chicken soup base in place of the salt.

Pineapple or tart apple slices would make a very good stuffing for your pork as well, especially with the red-pepper sauce. Think sweet & sour.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[brendanemig]

Thanks for all your advice everyone. In the end i decided not to stuff the pork. Everything went well. I made a cracker crusted tenderloin (seasoned with parsley and some spicy things) and then a sweet bell pepper cream sauce, horseradish mash potatoes, balsamic glazed vegetables and orange pots-de-creme for dessert. Bought a nice rioja from the grocery store and had a great time