Mustard-Crusted Pork with Carrots and Lentils

There are times when I am very impressed with my culinary prowess. Okay, it's just me putting a few spins on a recipe created by someone else, but I do get excited when that recipe exceeds my expectations and I can add it to my repertoire. This happened this evening when I tried a recipe in the November issue of Gourmet magazine for mustard-crusted pork with carrots and lentils.

The recipe is pasted below and I did make a few minor adjustments. First, I substituted cooking spray when roasting the carrots and as a result, needed some more liquid when adding the pork loin to the roasting pan, so I added a bit of chicken broth.

I also used dried lentils, therefore, had to use a lot of chicken broth to get the lentils to the perfect consistency. I also cooked the lentils in the pan used to sear the pork. I'm sure purists may say this is a cross-contamination no-no but I was feeling adventurous and it added some additional flavor to the lentils. If you are in a time crunch, you might want to use canned lentils, as outlined below. I also jacked up the seasonings all around.

1 pound pre-cut fresh carrot sticks

5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 (15-ounce) cans lentils, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a shallow baking pan and roast while preparing pork.

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown pork all over, about 3 minutes total. Put pork on a work surface and brush with 1 tablespoon mustard. Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 tablespoon oil, then press onto mustard on pork to form a crust. Transfer pork to pan with carrots and roast until carrots are browned and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 140 to 145°F, 15 to 22 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes; keep carrots warm, covered (or continue roasting if needed).

While pork roasts, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil with garlic and thyme in a small saucepan until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lentils, broth, and remaining tablespoon mustard and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and discard thyme. Serve pork with carrots and lentils.

This is a hearty, sophisticated but easy meal that can be prepared in a flash for a weeknight meal. I enjoyed my meal with a medium bodied glass of Duo Mythique, a syrah grenache blend which really brought out the earthiness of the lentils and carrots. Magnifique!

The Great Rachel Ray Experiment - Recipe 289

As previously noted, I received a Rachel Ray cookbook for Christmas, "365: No Repeats". I started to cook my way through this book beginning with recipe 289; sage and balsamic pork chops with creamy pumpkin polenta.

Yum-O? Yuck-O? I'd say somewhere in between. Just Eh.

I did not follow the recipe to the letter and instead of the pumpkin polenta chose to roast acorn squash in an effort to save a few calories.

When roasting the squash, instead of my usual loads of nutmeg, I chopped the remainder of my sage and sprinkled it over the squash which was already coated with olive oil cooking spray, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The additional crunch of the herby sage made the acorn squash the best part of the meal.

I get where Rach and her garbage bowl were going with this recipe. The sugar from the balsamic caramelizes the pork chop and helps the herb rub adhere to the meat. It is a pretty basic combination of flavors but in this case, the parsley overpowered the sage. If I were to make this again, I'd reverse the amounts of sage and parsley listed below and would probably omit the parsley altogether if it wasn't handy.

I do have to give Rachel some credit, since I am pretty certain her pumpkin polenta recipe would have been pretty good so I am giving her a break and including it in the recipe below. I am also including the annoying Rachel-isms in the recipe so you can roll you eyes along with me! Delish!

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, EVOO (seriously!)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, enough to just coat the pork chops; eyeball it (more like roll eyeball here)

5 fresh sage leaves; chopped (I'd double this)

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, a handful, chopped (I'd do half the amount listed or omit completely)

1 lg garlic clove chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 1 1/2 inch thick boneless center-cut pork chops

2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

freshly grated or ground nutmeg, about 1/8 tsp

3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus some for garnish

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375.

Preheat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp of the EVOO, twice around the pan (yes it's still annoying). In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic, sage, parsley, garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp of EVOO, salt and pepper. Coat the pork chops and then place them in the skillet and sear the meat on both sides to caramelize, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish off, about 8 minutes, or until the meat is firm to the touch but not tough.

While the chops are cooking, in a sauce pot combine the chicken stock, milk and pumpkin and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Place over high heat and bring up to a simmer. Whisk in the polenta and stir until it begins to mass together. Add the grated cheese and butter, stirring to combine.

Real Simple: Mustard Roasted Chicken with Veggies

My November into December eating-and-drinking-with-reckless-abandon has led to my New Year's Resolution to get back on track with meal planning and trying to shake a few pounds.

I loathe that I have the same resolution as basically everyone else on the planet, but honestly, this is my resolution all year, every year. I simply fall off the wagon now and then (most notably around the holidays) again basically like everyone else on the planet.

So while perusing the latest issue of Real Simple, I found an easy low-calorie recipe that I could make and bring as lunch for the week.

I chose the mustard roasted chicken with vegetables recipe featured in the magazine's January issue. It was so easy and many of the ingredients listed are my pantry staples.

I did substitute boneless chicken breasts for the whole chicken to help lighten the caloric load and did not use their "recommended mustard" since any quality mustard would work just fine. I also decided to kick it "old school" and bust out Mom's CorningWare but I think next go-around I might see how it comes out in my beloved Le Cruset.

If you are looking for something quick, easy and guilt free take this recipe for a spin!

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud!

Where do I begin with what is already is one of the culinary highlights of 2008?!?

I was invited to dinner this past weekend at Bar Boulud as part of the restaurant's "Friends and Family" event, a few days prior to the restaurant's official opening. For those who are not familiar with this common practice, the restaurant's staff will invite people to dine gratis (sometimes you need to kick in for beverage but should always tip and tip well) in order to sample the menu, work out some kinks, and receive feedback at the conclusion of the meal.

This is an opportunity to figure out what worked, what didn't and what could work better in all aspects: presentation, wait staff, kitchen and front of house service, wine list, decor, etc.

Think of it as a foodie focus group. I think of it as Ms. Foodie's fantasy come to life!

Chef MJ, Marathon Man, Rockstar and I began our meal with a tour of Bar Boulud's Charcuterie. Our selections included the Pate Gran-Mere (pork braised pate with chicken liver and cognac), Lapin de la Garrigue (terrine of slowly cooked and pulled rabbit, carrot, zucchini, spices and herbs), Compote de Joue de Boeuf (beef cheeks slowly braised with veal stock; shredded and combined with pistachio and beef gelee), and Saucisson Sec de Lyon (air dried sausage made in-house and hung for a minimum of one month).

If you read any of my posts recapping last year's trip to France, you know of my saucisson obsession. I wasn't disappointed. The thinly sliced, fatty, well-seasoned ham was so flavorful and complimented by the tart pickles and onions that accompanied it.

The terrines were equally impressive with just enough gelatin that it wasn't overly "gelatinous". The quality of the meat really came through and the terrines had just the right amount of spices with additional components to bring the dish together in perfect balance. My favorite of the terrines were the beef cheeks with the rabbit a close second.

I chose a glass of Beaujolais to start off my meal. For this event, we were offered wines by the glass and while our server recommended a glass of the Gevry, I chose the Beaujolais. I must say that I have not experienced Beaujolais this well-rounded since I returned from France! It was so good that I went back for a second glass before moving on to the Gevry, only to wish I had stayed with the Beaujolais.

You could really taste the terroir and it brought me back to our amazing visit to this region during their harvest. I echoed this sentiment to the manager upon exiting the restaurant, but I don't think he was as excited by this revelation as I was!

Next up was an item from the Cru et Custaces - the aioli. Chef MJ was very excited for this dish, having had enjoyed it earlier in the week. I wasn't sure of the draw until... the plate was put on our table.

The presentation was absolutely gorgeous! First to get a dunk into the aioli was one of the four thin perfectly salty bread sticks. I was instantly hooked! Each item was more delicious than the one prior, and keep in mind, this is mainly a dish of crudite! What's the draw? The shrimp was meaty, flavorful and not the least bit chewy. The oil poached cod was outstanding and even simple par boiled potatoes were fantastic. Once again, it just goes to show you that simple quality ingredients can make a huge difference. This is one of the more expensive items on the menu ($34 bucks) but don't let the name or the price deter you from trying this dish! I could have had this all night and been satisfied!

But wait, there's more....

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, out came the main event. Coq au vin! Daniel's menu description of the classic French dish is to marinade the chicken overnight in red wine and then braise in red wine and a rich veal stock. Finished with button mushrooms, pearl onions and lardons this dish is completely decadent and truly authentic. Rockstar couldn't believe it was chicken! The poultry was transformed into a rich Bourgogne classic! Incredible!

We ordered a couple of sides to go with our meal, including a whole roasted head of garlic served with toasted country bread. It was delicious but can you really ever go wrong with roasted garlic? We also had the pommes frites which were thinly sliced and well salted but I've had better (namely at Pastis). Perhaps the only semi-miss of the night.

Of course, we had to find some room for dessert. We shared the Pain d'Epices, gingerbread with caramel mousse, topped with orange supremes and orange cinnamon ice cream. The staff even brought over a lovely fruit plate for Marathon Man since he has a food allergy.

We also ordered three cheeses which I enjoyed with a lovely dessert wine. I was impressed by Daniel's description of the cheeses on the menu: bloomy, earthy, creamy, sharp, goat. What a innovative easy way to navigate your way through a cheese course and ensure a well rounded selection. We chose bloomy, goat and sharp with only the sharp being somewhat pedestrian. I was a fan of the 'bloomy'.

When we did receive a bill, it pretty much used to gauge how much to tip our server. It wasn't that outrageous considering the amount of food and wine we ordered and certainly affordable compared to other restaurants in the Daniel Boulud empire. Most entrees were priced in the low twenties and the portions were just right. I must admit I am a bit concerned the restaurant's close proximity to Lincoln Center. My fear is it will be overrun with tourists although I am sure that was part of the master plan.

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud (which officially opens this week) - I only hope you'll be able to get a table!