Minimalist Pork

I was at the library yesterday, which happens to be right down the street from San Francisco Meats & Deli , so I stopped in and bought this lovely pork loin. I hate those ones that you get at the grocery store, that are so lean that it's impossible to keep them from drying out. That layer of fat on the top - that's the flavor!

I checked out Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home, which is no longer in print - a shame, because I really like what I have read so far. Bittman explains in detail why he created each recipe, and how it works to achieve the desired result. There are some black and white photos to illustrate some technique, but other than that there are no pictures - usually a turn-off for me, but with this book I make an exception.

It just so happened that there was just the pork recipe inside that I was looking for, "Roasted Pork with Applesauce". I almost didn't realize it (no picture!). I must have read it at least 6 times before taking the plunge to go ahead and make it, and even so, I cut the pork loin in half so there would be some left in case it didn't turn out.

But I kept liking what it said. This was a recipe that Bittman came up with because while he liked the taste of using jam or marmalade on roasted pork, he didn't like the sugary sweetness. Through experimentation, he found that creating a "crust" of applesauce yielded a sweet, but not too sweet, result. In theory, perfect. But roasting applesauce on pork? Weird? Mushy? Like baby food meets meat?

I had nothing to fear. The recipe was as simple as can be, and did everything that it said that it would. The high heat caramelized the applesauce, and it kept the meat incredibly moist. I cooked it longer than the 45 minutes that the recipe called for - maybe even 20 minutes longer, at 400, to make sure that some of that fat melted down and that the sauce browned and blackened a bit (the best part!) I also liberally salted and peppered it, because I love the contrast of salt and sweet. And seriously, 2 ingredients (besides salt and pepper) - you can't get more minimalist than that.

This is for 4 servings, 15 minutes work time, 60 minutes estimated total.

Roast Pork with Applesauce

• One 1.5 to 2 lb pork loin
• 2 C applesauce, preferably unsweetened
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500. Set the oven rack as close to the oven is as practical (take the thickness of the roast into account).

Meanwhile, put the applesauce in a fine strainer over a bowl or in the sink to allow excess liquid to drain.

Line a roasting pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil and brush the foil with a little oil.

When the oven is hot, sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper, then spread an even layer of the applesauce all over it, using up all of the applesauce. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and roast, checking every 15 minutes or so to make sure that the applesauce doesn't burn. It's ok if it darkens and browns, or even turns dark brown, as long as the top doesn't blacken. (my note: i liked a little bit of blackening)

Begin checking the pork with an instant-read thermometer after 45 minutes. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, remove from the oven. Let rest 5 minutes before carving.

Sweet Potato Supersalad

This lovely salad is so delicious and nutritious, I want to call it a Supersalad. It includes rich orange sweet potatoes, which are powerhouses in themselves - a great source of dietary fiber (with the skins on), complex carbohydrates, protein - not to mention twice the recommended allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene. This, from a food so naturally sweet and flavorful? What a treasure.

And then we have quinoa - another powerhouse. It acts like a starch, giving a similar texture to rice or couscous, but it is actually a complete protein. It includes the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue repair, as well as magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. All of this in a humble looking little "grain" - why go back to rice?

I got this recipe online from Mark Bittman, who among other things is great at balancing flavors and creating simple but interesting dishes. It makes a lovely fall lunch or side dish, and would be excellent for a pot luck. I did it in stages, making the sweet potatoes and quinoa the night before, refrigerating them, and assembling the salad the next day, so it felt like it really took no time at all.

And economical - I don't think you can beat it. The sweet potatoes came from the Farmers Market, so that was about $1.50, the quinoa is from Trader Joe's, and I had the rest of the ingredients on hand already. Probably about $6 or less for a huge bowl of 4-6 servings.

Sweet Potoato and Quinoa Salad

• 2 1/2 C. cooked quinoa (can also use millet)
• 1 large or 2 med sweet potatoes
• Salt, Pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 C. minced red onion or shallot
• 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. balsamic, sherry, or red wine vinegar
• 1/4 minced fresh chives or parsley leaves (I used Italian Parsley)

Cook quinoa or other grain. Drain in a strainer and rinse.

Peel the sweet potato and dice into 1/2 in. or smaller pieces. Cook in boiling salted water to cover until tender, about 15 min. Drain well.

Toss together the potato, quinoa, red bell pepper, and onion - sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss the salad with about half of this mixture. (I added my chopped parsley at this point). Add all or some of the rest to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with chives and serve.