That moment when you stop…close your eyes…and say, “damn, this is good.”
That was just now – tonight’s dinner.
My Christmas dinner was centered around scalloped potatoes with fennel. I missed my chance to serve the dish for my September dinner party and it popped to mind right away for my last-minute, Christmas day shopping trip. The dish is excellent. The glorious aromatics of the fennel waft through the air as the potatoes bake up smoothly with a subtle crisp along the top. I couldn’t snatch up the last bites of leftovers, but I could make the dish afresh. And oh, it was delicious!
I’m going to leave the commentary at that. Make this meal! You will understand what I mean.
Scalloped Potatoes with Fennel – recipe via Epicurious.com.
Marinate the pork while the the potatoes cook.
Seared Pork Loin with Rosemary-Garlic Marinade
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. garam masala (or coriander, optional)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 lb. pork loin, in 1-inch thick cutlets
Stir together the ingredients for the marinade in a container. Add the pork and rub in the marinade to coat. Seal and refrigerate for one hour.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork to the pan, reserving the marinade, and sear about 7 minutes on the first side and 5 on the other. The meat should be firm to the touch when done. Remove to a plate.
Steamed Broccoli
Add broccoli florets to the pan from the pork with the remaining marinade and 1/2 cup of water. Raise the heat to high and steam, covered, until tender. Remove from pan immediately.
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