Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Herbed Mustard Glaze

 

I find myself many times being out at a restaurant or buying something pre-made and being happily challenged by trying to recreate it. And, most of the time I am extremely excited by the outcome, as it is either a bit better or just tweaked a little bit more to my liking.

And then there are some things you want to recreate EXACTLY the way you remember it. And, in this instance, it was a pancetta-wrapped pork tenderloin I had purchased from The Fatted Calf at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer's Market back in September. According to the rep at the booth, it had been marinated in herbs, white wine, and mustard, then wrapped in pancetta. She had told me to just bake it off, and honestly, it was simple indulgence on the cloud I like to call "pork heaven".

It wasn't until recently, when I was cooking for my parents, that my Mom said she really wanted pork tenderloin. I immediately flashed on how flavorful and moist that pork tenderloin had been, yet simple and delicious all at the same time. It was now my time to recreate the Fatted Calf's version.

I set out with the ingredients in the first pic:

* pork tenderloin

* white wine (some for the pork, some for me)

* dijon mustard

* fresh rosemary, finely chopped (and any other herbs, such as thyme, parsley, etc...)

* thinly sliced pancetta (in this case, I had the awesome opportunity to score some La Quercia pancetta...)

* sea salt and cracked black pepper

First, I made a semi-thick glaze of mustard, white wine, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to slather on the pork. Really, this type of dish you just need to eyeball and taste as you go!

Next up, seasoning up the pork tenderloin with the mustard/wine/herb mix:

You don't need a whole goopy mess, just enough to cover and infuse some flavor. This tenderloin is going to "marinate" overnight (well, at least that is what I did with mine, but at least 8 hours is my suggestion) and the flavors will only subtly develop with time.

Next, setting up the pancetta "wrap": I like to place a piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board and then start layering the pancetta pieces; make sure to have the tenderloin in front of you to "measure" the pancetta "wrap" as you go...

Next, place the marinated pork tenderloin on top of the pancetta slices:

And start to layer pancetta on top of the tenderloin to cover:

Next is to carefully fold/roll up the tenderloin with the pancetta; the marinade will help the pancetta to stick to the tenderloin as you wrap up:

It doesn't have to look perfect, but the point is just to make a tight "seal" with the pancetta around the tenderloin and the plastic wrap will only help to adhere.

Make sure the seal is tight.

I like to twist the ends of the plastic wrap to remove any excess air and create a great seal.

Pop the pancetta-wrapped tenderloin in the fridge for at least 8 hours (I prefer overnight); then, when ready, my technique is preheat your oven to 350-375F; unwrap tenderloin from plastic and place on cookie sheet or baking dish. Pop in oven for 15, flip the tenderloin, and cook for another 15 minutes; remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes covered with foil.

Slice and serve.

You could tie off the tenderloin to hold the pancetta better together, but cutting all of the twine off to me can be a huge pain since the pancetta is so thin. I prefer just doing it simply like this and giving each plate some of the crispy pieces on the side.

The crispy pancetta balanced with the mustard and herbs is simply incredible. Plus, the pork tenderloin stays incredibly moist due to the fat rendering from the pancetta during the cooking process. It is a simple, fun, and yummy weekday or weekend dish that all should take the time to make!

My Mom and Dad went nuts, as did I. It's fun taking the challenge of recreating a favorite, and when it becomes a new family staple, you are filled with a sense of accomplishment. Enjoy!

We Call it Bacon, You Call it Pancetta

Bacon or pancetta…depending on what part of the world, what specific country, whatever you call it, it’s still pork belly. And I love both of them.

As I have mentioned, International Bacon Day is this Saturday, so I have been sampling my fare share of bacon/pancetta-related dishes dining out with my family.

Some friends have asked me what exactly is the difference between pancetta and bacon, since they are pretty much the same thing. Both bacon and pancetta are pork belly that has been salt/brine cured with or without additional spices for about a week. Bacon differs from pancetta because it is then smoked. Most pancetta is rolled and then dried for about 3 months, giving it that circular shape.

My sister, Meag, and I were reminiscing last night about our European trip we took a few years back, and started talking about the different “bacon” that we had in different countries. While in England, Scotland, and Ireland, we had “bacon” but it was totally different than what we enjoy here in the States. It was a lot meatier, more like Canadian bacon, and comes from the loin in the back of the pig. And, as Meag knows, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. I remember our English, Scottish, and Irish breakfasts vividly, and always saved the “bacon” for last to enjoy every morsel.

This is a photo of a typical Irish breakfast while we were in Waterford, Ireland. You can see the bacon is totally different than that we have here in the states - looks more like ham!



When we were in Cork, Ireland, visiting friends, we made it to the local supermarket, and I remember looking for American bacon, but couldn’t find any. My friend looked at me and said, “oh pancetta? You want to get some streaky bacon?” This was totally foreign to me that the Irish refer to the bacon we eat here state-side as either pancetta or “streaky bacon”. They were enamored with my obsession over their “rashers” and I was taken aback by their desire for our smoked, pork belly bacon.

When my sister and I made it to Italy, I was even more shocked. We stayed in bed and breakfasts throughout our whole trip and enjoyed our fair share of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, cereal, fruit, etc. Pretty standard fare. But our first breakfast in Florence, Italy, we went upstairs to the roof top dining area of the Best Western we stayed at, took one tired look at the buffet spread to see what we wanted, and I saw…pancetta?? I had never thought of cooking the round, circular slices up as if they were American bacon and eating them for breakfast; I always sliced up pancetta or cubed it for a garnish to a soup, salad, etc. or rendered it off as a building block for a sauce. Needless to say, I piled up a rather large serving of the pancetta (kinda wiped out the buffet…) and devoured every slice like a true carnivore.

I was reminded of this pancetta experience this past Sunday night at my family’s “second home” when it comes to restaurants: Sapori Ristorante. It is an Italian restaurant in Newport Beach that has been open 20 years, and I think we have been dining patrons for all 20 years. I probably have had every dish, from antipasti, salads, pastas, pizzas, and enough Salmon alla Griglia and Chicken Piccata to feed a small army. But, there is always one dish I religiously order: Penne Vodka Otero - Chef's Signature dish. It is so simple yet so satisfying - a tomato and cream sauce with pancetta, a little vodka, and chopped tarragon. And I always add chicken and top it off with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Not the greatest pic, but I figured I should take one for the sake of talking about it.



But, even though it is so simple, the subtleness of the pancetta does shine through. It is a well-balanced sauce, pairing the fat of the touch of cream against the acidity of the tomato sauce, and the tarragon heightens the fresh flavors. You can't really "taste" the vodka, but it is a bright sauce in both flavor and color - perhaps the vodka helps with the brightness of the flavor, or the cook in the back tipped his cocktail over while making it. Either way, the pork addition just rounds out everything - if I was keeping score, that would be one point for Team Pork Fat Rules.

Re-create: if I were doing this at home (recipe for one, or two...), I would first:

• Bring water to a boil in sauce pot; make sure to add salt (and plenty of it); add about 2 C dried penne pasta to water and cook to package directions.
• Render (cold pan method - [Kate listens...]) about 2 tbsb cubes of pancetta or bacon (or more at your desire) until cooked; drain on paper towels.
• Then add 1/2 a chopped shallot to the pan, saute, and de-glaze with 2-3 tbsp of vodka (remove from heat when doing this - alcohol will "flambe"!). Reduce vodka to dry.
• Add 1 C tomato sauce (store bought or homemade), 1/4 C cream, and cook on high for about 2 minutes, stirring to incorporate. Add in 2 tsp chopped tarragon (or less) and cooked bacon/pancetta to sauce; season with salt and pepper.
• Drain pasta and add to sauce; fold sauce with pasta to incorporate.
• Plate; top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

A simple approach to a very tasty pasta dish. There must be a reason that this has been on the menu at Sapori for all 20 years it has been around. I would say that the addition of pancetta to the sauce is the key.

Bacon, pancetta - whatever you call it, both are similar and great ingredients to cook with.

"Meat" and Potatoes

Bacon gets me excited, but after my last post, I think everybody knows that.

In honor of International Bacon Day coming up next weekend, I thought it best to give some of my favorite recipes including my favorite part of the pig, and then some others.

Bacon bits have always been a favorite topping for me, especially on baked potatoes. I remember some of my first dinners where my parents allowed me to order steak when we went out to eat, and for some reason I remember there always being the option of having a baked potato on the side. When asked what toppings I would like, first out of my mouth was "bacon!" and then the announcement that butter, sour cream, and chives would be acceptable as well. Even with the creaminess of the sour cream, added lusciousness of the butter, and slight onion flavor of the chives, the meaty, salty, smoky goodness of the bacon just seemed to round out the whole side dish.

My mom used to make us baked potatoes throughout my "youth", but she didn't make bacon bits from scratch - instead we were left with the lovely invention of BacOs. And, BacOs just doesn't cut it compared to the real thing.

Then, my Mom started making twice baked potatoes. I remember helping her once, her slicing the potatoes in half horizontally, me scooping out the fluffy center into a bowl making sure to leave a little bit inside next to the walls of the skin to create a "vessel" for our stuffing. Into the bowl would be an "eyeball measure" of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, Lawry's Garlic Salt, and Lawry's Seasoning Salt (Mom's two staples). She then would mix it all together to a smooth mixture and stuff the potato skin-vessels with the mixture. She then would wrap them in foil or pack them into a casserole dish to be baked immediately or at a later date. When we did get the chance to eat this so-simple-yet-delicious concoction, on the BacOs would go again!

I recently was inspired to make my version of twice-baked potatoes for an outdoor 4th of July barbecue, but this time, the BacOs wouldn't even make it to my dish, let alone shopping bag, or shopping list, for that matter. And, in the matter of how my Mom cooks, I decided to "eyeball measure" my ingredients as well.

First, I took 9 Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, and placed them directly on the rack in a preheated 375F oven, and baked for about 1 1/2 hours (until slightly soft to the touch).



Meanwhile, I slice up my bacon. I don't think I have ever had nitrate-free bacon (nitrate, though a preservative, has been linked to bad health issues), but bought it anyways. Once sliced, add to a cool pan, THEN turn on the heat to medium and continue to cook and stir until all cooked through. Allow to cool and drain on a paper towel (and save the bacon fat for later cooking!).









Once the potatoes are done, I remove them and allow them to cool slightly (about 20 minutes) so that they don't burn my hands!





Once they cool down, slice the potatoes horizontally, but I like to not cut them completely in half. Rather, I slice off about the top 1/4th of the potato, scrape the potato "meat" out of the top and the soon to be "vessel".





Then, you are left with these beautiful potato "boats".





Then, I chop my bunch of chives and add them to my bowl of potatoes:



Along with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and BACON.



Once again, I have "eyeballed" my measurements, so I can't really provide a real recipe. All I can say is it should look like had have the texture of mashed potatoes. And, the best part, is you get a little bit of every morsel (including bacon) in every bite.



Picture is slightly blurry, but fill the potatoes with the mixture and make sure to fill them well. You will have a little left over to snack on!





I like to make my twice baked potatoes a day ahead to allow all of the flavors merry together, but you can definitely make these potatoes and go to bake them right after you fill them. Total work time? Probably 2 hours, but you can get the bacon cooked, chives cut, and cheese shredded all while the potatoes cook. When ready to bake, reheat at 350F for 30 minutes or until hot. Sometimes I like to put them under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes to brown the top of the potatoes.

These twice baked potatoes are fantastic. As I mentioned, you get a bit of everything in every bite. Just make sure you add enough of every ingredient, especially the bacon. Especially the bacon.

The Ultimate Bacon Experience

A friend and old co worker recently reminded me that International Bacon Day is coming up (this year it is Sept. 5th - it's always the Saturday before Labor Day), and we have been discussing at length a bacon-filled extravaganza of a day eating our way around San Francisco. I was prompted to write this entry based on my Ultimate Bacon Experience only few were priveleged to.

If I could have a penny, dime, dollar...hell--winning lottery ticket, for how many times over the years I have been asked, "what is your favorite thing to drink/eat", my two answers would be this:

1. Wine (...shocker)

2. Bacon

...and I pondered many others, but nothing out ranked #1 or #2 (or really shall I say they are tied).

There are many conversations I have had with my Mom regarding her possible cravings of bacon during her pregnancy with me to explain my "addiction". I just asked her recently about the pork-fat fetish she indulged in, and she exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, Lesley, I would crave pancakes and bacon all of the time. There was a time I ate 14 pieces of bacon (or so) while I was pregnant with you".

Then, she moved on to Honey Baked Ham.

Enough said.

I have a true love of pork as you can see from some of the recipes I have cooked on my blog (Pork chops, pan sauce with applewood smoked bacon, crispy prosciutto), but, most importantly, I have fallen head over heels the amazing creation called bacon. I want to personally thank the person in history (whatever time period or culture) who came up with the idea of curing and smoking what I think is the most amazing part of the pig.

I can imagine my sister, Meag, reading this right now and immediately thinking, "Lesley, do you remember how many times you tried to steal my bacon off my plate growing up?" Oh yes, Meag, I do. The only pieces that I wouldn't eat are the ones she would douse in maple syrup. I still can't get behind that act as I would rather enjoy a beautifully cooked slice all on its own. Hey, at least she learned her own way of defensively protecting her breakfast side dish.

Most individuals, I feel, only really think of bacon as a breakfast item. I, on the other hand, try to incorporate it into as many dishes as I can. Salads, sandwiches, dips, sauces, haven't tried the ice cream route yet - agreeing with Emeril, "pork fat rules", and in my words, bacon is the King.

I am always (ALWAYS) this person: when I am cooking up bacon for family or guests, I ALWAYS make an extra slice for myself. I desperately try to hide from eating in front of guests because, secretly, I am thrilled no one saw me indulging in that extra slice. When I render off cubes of bacon for a sauce or for baked potatoes or a salad topping, it is like a personal test of my will NOT to eat every small morsel before I finish the rest of the dish.

I grew up with Oscar Mayer - Center Cut bacon, but over the years I have definitely "experimented" with other brands; smoked, unsmoked, uncured, thick cut, slab, etc. I try to keep my intake of bacon to a minimum (like my wine intake...), but sometimes, we all just have that craving.

And then, about a year ago, I (and a few other co workers) "worked on" what I feel is the Ultimate Bacon Experience. And we were really working.

I used to work for a company that tests food products for, what they say, "is the independent judging organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring America’s best food and food-related products." That is all I will say on that subject. But, my job was running the test kitchen for all of the products we were testing. And then, word came down that we would be testing....BACON.

And this wasn't just testing one brand. This was about 6-7 brands AND THEN broken down into other categories, like thin cut, thick cut, etc. It was a fantasy for a bacon fanatic come true.

So, I will try to explain this the best before you see the pictures. The testing of these products was done by a panel of 10 chef judges that do not know anything more than they are testing a specific category of a product found in the supermarket. In this category, there may be two products to test (i.e. powdered mac and cheese) or more (think all of the jarred pasta sauces, and then break it down by flavors...). The judges' samples of the products are not named but coded so they have no idea what brands are being tested. They get one sample of each of the products, discuss, and then get a second sample to score the products. That's all you really need to know about the testing process, because this is about bacon, not my old workplace.

So, 10 chefs - each need two slices for their first sample and two slices for their second sample. That's four slices per chef per testing period. Times four by 10 and, yep, that 40 slices of bacon per each brand. Now times that by six brands? Yes, that is 240 slices...of bacon. But wait! We need to make "extra" for the fact that some might get burned (each had to be cooked as similar as possible), and we need to make "extra" for me and my co workers to sample (just for fun). So roughly, that was about 260-270 slices PER TESTING PERIOD.



The above photo was like bacon heaven. Each sheet pan was covered with about 24 slices of bacon, to which I baked at 375F (convection oven) for about the perfect 15-20 minutes. And this represents just one round of judging. This didn't just happen ONE day, but over many days in a course of three weeks.



Had to include a photo of my co worker, Tiffany, helping me out.

It was very interesting to taste different brands against each other and compare. It was fascinating to me as a bacon aficionado to sense different flavors, textures, meat to fat ratio, in each brand, something you really don't think about when you are ordering a side of bacon for breakfast or just shopping for bacon in your local supermarket. The chef judges never really decided on a true winner amongst the brands, but we all had a fantastic time sampling along with them.

Literally, we ate "like pigs". I swore not to count the amount of slices I ingested during these judging sessions. I still get slightly ill thinking about just how much bacon I consumed in a short period of time, and it was for work nonetheless! In one moment, I had never been so sick of bacon in my life, and in the next I was literally smiling from ear to ear. So, in honor of International Bacon Day around the corner, I thought it most appropriate to share some of the most indulgent moments as a bacon lover. Take that, creators of Bacon Explosion.

Fridge "Mystery Box" #1

I dare anyone reading this blog NOT to raise their hand (or a glass...I'm just sayin') in agreement to any of the following statements:

• I am a culprit of buying a whole bunch of produce and it is now a week old in my fridge and I still haven't used it, and it has gone bad.
• I bought too much chicken, pork, meat, fish - and I was going to use it "yesterday" but now it's gone bad.
• I really was going to eat those leftovers, but ordered take out instead.
• I was at the market today, bought, let's say, a huge bag of "potatoes" (because they were on sale), and now they are sitting on my counter, sprouting, because I just didn't get around to using them.
• I have a whole bunch of random crap in my fridge, but I just don't know what to do with it.
• I want to cook at home more, but I just don't know how to make it come all together.

You get where I am going. Well, at least I hope so. And if you didn't raise your hand (or a glass...) then I am speechless.

I feel that we all, at some point, have the same reaction in a supermarket, farmers market, specialty store, where we are like, "Ooh! Look at that! I can cook that tonight/tomorrow/Wednesday/for this weekend's dinner guests...", but sometimes our shelf-life-challenged produce and proteins and other ingredients go to waste. Even the ones we keep on hand as our staples (I always have a lemon and heavy cream in my fridge). It doesn't have to be some exotic ingredient, I mean, for me, it can be as simple as a chicken breast or some asparagus.

Hey, it happens. I am surprised living by myself that it doesn't happen more often. Only because I am such a foodie and a wino. But, NO wine goes spoiled in my apartment.

But I cook a lot at home, more so than the average single-living girl. So the other night, I tentatively opened my fridge, knowing that I was at the brink of needing to get rid of a few items, and here is what I pulled from my fridge:



Brown Mushrooms, Baby Spinach, Parmesan Cheese, Lemon, 1/2 a Shallot, Prosciutto, and Roasted Garlic.

Yes. I DO keep most of these things around as staples.

I decided in that moment to treat all of these ingredients like "Mystery Box" ingredients and see what I cold come up with.

I needed a protein, so I went to the supermarket and bought some chicken breasts. Looking at my Mystery Box ingredients, I decided on this menu:

Panko-Parmesan Crusted Chicken Paillard/White Wine, Lemon, Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce/Sauteed Baby Spinach with Mushrooms and Crispy Prosciutto.

(Remember, I still think like a chef, making menu items, when I cook). (Oh, and "Paillard" means "a slice of veal, chicken, or beef that is pounded until very thin and cooked quickly" for those who were wondering why I was using fancy "French". Ha ha).

And, this dish only took me 30 minutes (take that, Rachel Ray). And, really, it is NOT difficult.

I usually eyeball all of my measurements, but here is as accurate I can get if you wanted to try this at home:

1 chicken breast, sliced evenly horizontally
1 egg, whisked
3 tbsb panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 brown muchrooms, sliced
3 oz baby spinach (large handful)
2 slices prosciutto
1/2 challot, choppped
1/2 C white wine
2 cl roasted garlic
1/4 C heavy cream
1 small wedge of lemon
SALT AND PEPPER (ALWAYS)


So, I set out to slice my chicken breast in half, in order to pound it out.



Yes, one is bigger than the other, but I used the smaller for my lunch the next day:



Put a piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap:



Took this b/c soooo many people think they have to use the spiked end of a mallet. No, folks, use the FLAT end to pound your chicken:



It might not look that big, but this chicken breast went from 1/2" thick to 1/4" thick:



So then I cooked the prosciutto, now that my oven was set at 375F:

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or foil and place two slices (one to snack on) of prosciutto on the parchment:



Bake at 375F for 5-10 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp:



Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms (I did only three) and saute in some melted olive oil or butter:



About 7 minutes later:



Then, I dredge my chicken breast through a whisked egg (I was randomly out of flour), and then pat it in my mixture of panko bread crumbs and parmesan:



Panko and parmesan cheese - 3 tbsp panko to 1 tbsp grated parmesan per piece:





Heat some olive oil over Med High (yes, I use lots to create a really nice crust, but then discard of most of it later to make the sauce) and when the oil is really hot, add the chicken:



5 minutes til brown. Flip!



5 more minutes and remove from pan to rest:



Add the white wine to deglaze the pan; reduce by half; add the smashed roasted garlic, lemon juice, and heavy cream, and reduce til sauce coats back of a spoon:





While the sauce reduces, finish the spinach; return the heat of the pan of mushrooms to High and add the baby spinach:



Continue to saute on High heat using tongs, constantly turning the spinach to wilt it. Once wilted, remove and plate and crumble crispy prosciutto on top:



Once the sauce has reduced, remove from heat and plate:



And that, my friends, is cleaning out my refrigerator with leftover things. It's a fun challenge, and it's not that hard to do. And, damn, it was tasty. The tartness of the lemon in the sauce balanced well with the parmesan and panko crust on the chicken, and the saltiness of the prosciutto went very well with the subtle earthiness of the spinach and mushrooms.

After taking pictures of my cookings, I thought that I would make this a weekly entry of cleaning out the fridge. I hope that there is more inspiration to come from any and all ingredients.