What's for Dinner? Roast Pork with Romesco Sauce!

Pork sirloin was on sale the other day and when thinking of what to do with it, I remembered this recipe I made a while back with this Romesco sauce.  It is a really awesome and different sauce that they make in the Catalonia region of Spain that's made of nuts and roasted peppers (among other things).  It is easy to whip together and adds great flavor to pork, chicken or fish (or really any protein).  The recipe makes a lot so you can keep the leftovers in your fridge and use the sauce on whatever you like.  It just gets better and better!  Definitely give this one a try.  I hope you will like it!

Roasted Pork with Romesco Sauce
Serves as many as your pork allows!

• 1 pork tenderloin or sirloin
• salt
• pepper
• paprika (smoked or regular)
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped and 2 whole
• 1/2 cup marcona almonds (you can get these at Whole Foods...if you can't find them, use salted smoked almonds)
• 1 cup stale white bread
• 1 tomato, seeded and cored and roughly chopped
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 TBSP sherry (or red wine) vinegar
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Place pork in a roasting pan and rub with salt, pepper, paprika, olive oil and chopped garlic.  Roast on 350 until pork temp reaches 155. Remove from oven and cover with foil.  Let sit for 20 minutes.

In a food processor, add almonds, garlic cloves and bread and process until finely chopped.  Add remaining ingredients except olive oil and turn on processor.  Add olive oil in a slow drizzle until it is all combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pork. Enjoy!

What's for Apps? Goat Cheese and Shrimp Stuffed Peppers!

We were going over to a friend's house for an impromptu cookout and I had to bring something.  I went out in the garden and picked some beautiful Anaheim peppers and took out some goat cheese to soften.  I have made these in the past, but something about using your own vegetables makes them taste better!  This is a really yummy, not-too-hard thing to make.  Anaheims don't have too much heat in them, but if you want more, you could use Poblanos or Jalepenos.  If you don't like shrimp (what's wrong with you?), just do the cheese mixture...still delicious.  Enjoy!






 Goat Cheese and Shrimp Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4 (appetizers)

8 Anaheim peppers (as large as you can get them)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 oz goat cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced

Put peppers on baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or lightly oil.  Place under high broiler until skin begins to blister and turn black (watch carefully or you will have the fire department knocking at your door!). Turn peppers and repeat for second side.  Remove and place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rest 15-20 minutes.  After they have rested, remove skin, make a slit, longways down the pepper and discard seeds.

In bowl, combine goat cheese and 1/2 cup Monterrey Jack.

In skillet, heat oil and add shrimp.  Saute for 2-3 minutes, until no longer translucent.  Add garlic and shallot and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to cutting board and roughly chop shrimp.  Add warm shrimp, garlic and shallot mixture to cheese mixture.  Stir to thoroughly combine.
Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture (evenly distribute among 8 peppers).  Top with remaining Monterrey Jack (evenly distributed among peppers).  Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.  Mmmmm.

Download PDF of Recipe