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Thursday, May 18, 2006

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Zucchini

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my Cuisine at Home mags? Have I mentioned this about 89 kazillion times? Well I do, dammit! I'm even kind of feeling guilty for not going to all of my cookbooks for new recipes anymore.. I've got some serious change invested in them and mostly they are dust collectors because I'm so damn addicted to these cooking mags. Sheesh.

Cuisine at Home has a section called 1-2-3 Weeknight, where they feature quick and easy recipes for the tired cook after putting their 8 in the dungeon, bless them. :D

I chose this pork tenderloin recipe because of the rub. It has cayenne pepper in it, folks! Yessssssss I took a ride on the wild side last night! Okay well not really, the recipe called for 1/2 tsp. and I kinda only used about 1/4 tsp. small steps, people.. small steps! The rub was very good.. I could feel the heat on the back of my tongue, but it was actually pleasant and didn't make me want to run to my mommie. Now anyone else probably wouldn't even know it was there, but for me it was pretty damn good! The tenderloin was succulent, juicy and melt in your mouth tender. Yum! The zucchini was fabulous.. such a loverly lil summer squash (lurve you lil zucchinis!). I want to thank BNA of Peanut Butter and Purple Onions for reminding me of my grill pan sitting in my cupboard being neglected =) With all the rain we've been getting, firing up the big grill outside just wasn't gonna happen for me so remembering my grill pan came in very handy!

Spiced Pork Tenderloin w/Grilled Zucchini
Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Zucchini

For the Pork
3 TBS. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed (This rub was barely enough for 1 tenderloin, so I suggest doubling it if you are making 2)

Preheat grill to medium

Combine brown sugar, salt and cayenne; rub mixture over tenderloins. Lightly coat each with nonstick spray.

Grill tenderloins about 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145ยบ F., turning to brown all sides. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the Zucchini
1 medium zucchini
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
Olive oil for drizzling

Cut your zucchini into coins. Drizzle a little of the oil on the grill pan (You want to start your squash about 10 minutes after the tenderloin went on) and place the zucchini in a single layer, salt & pepper and drizzle a little more oil over the top. Grill for about 2 minutes and flip, salt & peppering the other side. Grill for about another 2 minutes or until they are as tender as you like them.

*Note: I have one of those large, cast iron, grill pans that sits over 2 burners on the stove, so I could grill my zucchini and tenderloin all at once. If you have a smaller grillpan, grill your zucchini after the tenderloin is done cooking.. while it's resting.

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Comments on "Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Zucchini"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5/18/2006 7:49 AM) : 

Dangnamit - first BNA and now you - I envy you and your tasty-making grill pans!

*sigh* I can't wait till the uni semester is over and I'm working full time again - then I can afford to buy kitcheny goodness!

 

Blogger Acme Instant Food said ... (5/18/2006 1:35 PM) : 

Man, oh man that makes my mouth water! Yep--I'm making out my shopping list. Delicious!!! However, I'll up the cayenne pepper. ;)

I'm spoiled here in Los Angeles; my grill doesn't get a chance to cool off January through December. I'll finish it off with a grilled dessert too. I think I'm perhaps too attached to my grill and the great flavors it imparts. I even like smoked martinis (don't ask).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5/18/2006 5:13 PM) : 

Hi!

You know I've never heard of that magazine. Sounds interesting. I shall have to search it out!

 

Blogger Lis said ... (5/19/2006 6:00 AM) : 

Ellie - although I don't use mine as much as I should, they are a great investment especially if you live where the weather is not always cooperative for outdoor grilling =)

Kevin - Now you KNOW I gotta ask.. smoke martinis? teee!

Ivonne - Cuisine at Home if you can get this up in Canada, go for it.. you won't be disappointed. =)

 

Blogger Acme Instant Food said ... (5/19/2006 12:34 PM) : 

I first had a smoked martini here in a West Hollywood restaurant which is closed now. They served an icy vodka martini with a tiny splash of good, aged whiskey (and then pop in an onion like a Gibson). It added just the perfect, almost ethereal, touch of smokiness. You could almost imagine downing one of those with Dean Martin or Frank, or whoever, in some big red leather booth in a corner of the Coconut Grove. I'll ask a bartender to make one on occasion, but frequently the mixture doesn't come out quite right.

I think I'm going to make this a recipe on my blog. It'll be fun trying to get a good picture of the frosy glass. Getting good picts for the postings is the hardest part. I'm studying Nordljus' site as she is an AMZAING photographer.

Hhhmmmm...is it wrong for this to start sounding good at 9:28 am? Sheesh!

 

Blogger Acme Instant Food said ... (5/19/2006 7:20 PM) : 

And yes Lis, all of the staff at Citizen Smith is model perfect. There is actually an ordinance in L.A., enacted sometime around the Mesozoic era, that in order to be a bartender, you have to be hot. Otherwise, they'd all starve to death from lack of tips.

 

Blogger Lis said ... (5/20/2006 9:21 AM) : 

Yes, I guess I did know this fact about wait & bartending staff in L.A., eh? lol

As for the martini.. it sounds delish. I love dirty martini's the dirtier the better.. something about the saltiness and the vodka makes me swoon. Although I can not drink more than 2 without getting more than tipsy. Which I don't get? I'm a whisky drinker.. can drink it all night long with no effects whatsover.. but put a glass of vodka in front of me and I start stumbling. hehe

 

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