Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Cooking Lesson #2: Roasted Pork Tenderloin


I was suppose to make dinner and a cake. That was thrown out the window, when the pain started. I didn't want to say it then, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to make a birthday dinner.
So I spent most of the day on th couch with my boyfriend, mostly napping or watching Bizarre Foods. When I mentioned dinner, he said he'd make it. This coming from the man who two weeks ago wasn't cooking and didn't know how to mince. I looked at him and he was genuinely wanting to cook me dinner. So I sent him to the kitchen to find what he wanted to make.
What he found was the pork tenderloin originally planned for dinner. Well, I know a bacon-wrapped tenderloin might be a little too, much without my help. So with google in hand I found a roasted pork tenderloin with sage and garlic.
He immediately went to work. I laid on the couch watching in amusement, only to see him perfectly mincing garlic cloves. I was in shock, when did his knife skills get better than mine? But then he started whacking again, I warned against it and complimented his technique. "I got skills," was the comment made.
It was so hilarious, I fell off the couch and onto the floor. After I was able to breathe again, I watched him measure everything. He worries about venturing away from the recipe, explaining that he may screw it up. Haven't we all done that? I know I've thrown out a couple dinners before.
After measuring, I answered the simple questions. What do I do with the herbed olive oil? Rub it on the meat. How do I know when its done? I don't have thermometer, I'll do it by touch. What about a salad? Make the pecans.
Thirty minutes later, the tenderloin comes out of the oven, once again moist like the chicken parmesan. It was delicious. He confessed that he had added more garlic and a little more olive oil, he's starting to get the adaptation of recipes for your own taste. It was moist and it was seasoned well.
While enjoying the meal, he commented on how it needed a sauce and I agreed. What it needed was a red wine sauce. It would have paired well with the meat, but nevertheless I was impressed. He's learning quickly, next thing I know he'll be making better dishes than me.

I Got Skills Pork Tenderloin
(adapted from Rachael Ray)

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sage
.5 teaspoon coarse salt
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 pork tenderloin

Position rack near bottom and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mix herbs, garlic, and oil in a bowl, then rub on pork tenderloin. Place tenderloin in baking dish, roast 10 minutes, flip cook another 10 minutes. Check temperature to see if it registers 155 degrees or feel by touch. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice.

2 comments:

Seza said...

I love it. My husband would do the same thing. He totally sticks to the recipe whenever cooking and when he doesn't have instructions tends to wing it. Sometimes that turns out good and sometimes bad like the 450 degree cooked chicken breast we had the other night. Talk about dry. Well, at least he tries.

Elle said...

Hilarious post...hope you are felling better Jerry. It's such fun to have someone cook for you and nice to know that 'He's got skills', too.