Saturday, January 24, 2009

Sick. Tired. Bored.

So, not one of my better days. Sigh.

Still, one must eat, if only to keep one's spirits afloat and the body nourished. No pictures tonight, though; it just seemed like too much work.

I started by trimming a pork tenderloin of all silverskin and excess fat, then seasoned it liberally with kosher salt, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and mignonette pepper (a blend of black and white pepper plus coriander seed). Into a little oil in a hot sauté pan for about 1-2 minutes on each side, then into a preheated 375° oven for about 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer showed 130° (inserted in the thickest section). Out it came to rest on the stove top (the temperature rose to about 142°).

Meanwhile, in a second skillet, I started caramelizing half a sweet onion, chopped, in a little butter, along with a small winter squash, seeded, peeled and cut into about 3/4 inch cubes. I seasoned all that with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, and about 1/8 teaspoon of ground dried chipotle pepper. I covered the pan for about 5 minutes, then continued cooking it with the lid off until everything was nicely caramelized.

I took four small flour tortillas and arranged them on a rimmed baking dish, then scattered some squash/onion medley over each. I sliced the pork into 1/4 inch slices and arranged four slices on each tortilla. I spooned a little mango-peach salsa on, then a little shredded cheese (a mix of medium cheddar and monterey jack--not too much). I popped the baking sheet into the oven, still at 375°, for about 7 minutes, until the cheese was melted and bubbling.

Served them topped with left-over guacamole, made with lots of lime juice and cilantro, and shredded lettuce. We ate them with a knife and fork, but you could pick them up if you're adventurous.

Pretty tasty. A nice melange of flavors and textures. All that's left is the dishes. Sigh.

1 comment:

  1. oh, dear. I'm sorry you were feeling poorly. But the food sounded amazing! :)

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