Look, it’s meat!  Growing up, I had a conflicted relationship with meat.  Not in a Lisa Simpson sort of way, I just really disliked the taste and texture.   I was the picky (and weird) kid at family gatherings who ate hot dog and hamburger buns with only ketchup.  My mom considered it a minor victory that I ate chicken nuggets and Shake ‘n Bake chicken.  Besides the strange phase in middle school where I’d request my mom to cook livers for me, I went through much of my life meat-free.  And that was mostly because I had no idea meat could be served in a way that was appetizing (sorry, dad!).

I’ve since come to really like meat, but I mostly see it as a side dish or hide it in a soup or stew rather than treat it as the centerpiece of a meal (and if I didn’t live with Cory, I’d only eat meat a couple times a month).  Every once in awhile though,  I find a recipe that captures my culinary heart.  When I saw this recipe for pork loin with cumin and paprika, I immediately left the house to buy pork.  Once I popped the pork into the oven, it filled the apartment with the scents of cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  When I took it out of the oven, I stared at it in awe.  Who knew pork loin could be so heavenly?  I waited patiently for Cory to arrive home to finally dig in.  This is definitely going to be my go-to pork loin recipe, for the times I start craving hunks of pork.

Oh, and before I share the recipe – I want reintroduce you to Evie the Corgi AKA Cory’s brother’s puppy.  She is an angel from doggy heaven.  The embodiment of all that is good in the world.  The epitome of cuteness.   When I first posted a picture of her two months ago, she was about 8 weeks old.  Now she’s about 4 months.  Before you know it, she’ll be voted prom queen and walking down the aisle.  They grow up so fast… She lives all the way in Indiana, so we’ve yet to meet in person.  But I have a feeling we’d be the best of buddies.  Those big rabbit ears and stubby little legs, they kill me, I tell you.  I feel like if I stare at pictures of her long enough, I’ll spontaneously combust from the cute overload.

Roasted Pork Loin with Cumin and Paprika
(adapted from One Tree Past the Fence)
Print this recipe

For the pork:
1 3/4-2 pounds boneless pork loin
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon grated cinnamon

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock (or water and a splash of soy sauce)
2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Rub the pork with generous amounts of pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Place the pork on an oven-proof skillet and brush the pork on all sides with the spice mixture. Heat the skillet over medium heat and cook the loin for a few minutes on all sides, or until no longer pink. Transfer the oven-proof skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the meat over and bake for another 10 minutes.

While the pork is in the oven, whisk together the mustard and garlic in a small bowl.

Remove the pork from the baking dish and transfer to a plate. At this point, you can either pour off the fat or leave it in the skillet. I left the fat in the skillet because pork fat is incredible and magically delicious. Heat the skillet over medium-low heat and add the stock, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.  Transfer the pork into the oven and bake for another 12 minutes, or until the meat thermometer reads 150 F.

Remove the pork from the skillet and heat the sauce. Stir in the sour cream or crème fraiche and mustard. Cut the meat into thin slices and serve with generous amounts of sauce.

Serves 4-6

Try the recipe index for more ideas.

Related posts:

1. pesto stuffed pork tenderloin
2. easy pork vindaloo
3. honey mustard chicken

Pesto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Print this recipe

For the pork:
1 2 lb pork tenderloin

For the pesto:
1 c of basil
1/4 c pine nuts, pecans, or walnuts, toasted
1 8-oz bottle of sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (if using dried tomatoes, just add 1/4 c oil)
1/2 c parmigiano reggiano, grated
2 cloves garlic
a dash of red pepper flakes
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare the pesto. Pulse together basil, pecans, sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, parmigiano reggiano, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a food processor until you reach your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.

Now, butterfly the loin with your sharpest knife and spread about half of the pesto into the loin. Secure the loin with kitchen twine.

In a large oven proof skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the loin and cook until browned on each side. Insert a meat thermometer to the loin and transfer into the oven.

Let the tenderloin bake until the temperature on the thermometer reaches 140-155 F (whatever you’re comfortable with. It will still be a little pink at 140, but trichinae are destroyed at 137 F). After removing the pork from the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it up. Use the remaining pesto to serve with the pork on the side.

Serves 4-6

Not quite what you had in mind? Try the recipe index.

Related posts:

1. pork loin with cumin and paprika
2. easy pork vindaloo
3. back to the basics: toasted walnut pesto

Ham and Walnut Pasta
(adapted from Hapa Bento)
Print this recipe

8 oz spaghetti
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 lb ham, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped toasted
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper (optional, to taste)

- Cook pasta according to package instructions.

- Meanwhile, cook hamsteak according to package directions. Cool until it’s easy enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When hot, garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the walnuts and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add ham and cook until heated through.

- Drain pasta and mix in the ham mixture. Stir in parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Add salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Serves 2-4, or one Ponyo.

Not quite what you had in mind? Try the recipe index.

Related posts:

1. pasta with bacon, red cabbage, toasted walnuts, and rosemary
2. mixed seafood pasta
3. back to the basics: toasted walnut pesto

This recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. I’ve made a lot of consistently delicious meals from this book, but a few duds too. This dish isn’t a dud though, I wouldn’t steer you wrong, dear readers.

Pork Vindaloo
(adapted from Quick and Easy Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey)
Print this recipe

1.5 T grainy mustard
1.5 t cumin
1.5 t turmeric
cayenne pepper, to taste
1 t salt
1 t red wine vinegar
1 onion, sliced
7 cloves garlic, finely minced
1.5 lb boned pork shoulder, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 c water
3/4 c coconut milk

In a small bowl, mix together mustard, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and vinegar. Set aside.

Heat oil or ghee in a large frying pan, when hot add the onions. Cook until the onion is beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add spice paste and fry for a couple minutes. Add the pork and cook until beginning to brown. Add water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.

Serves about 3-4

Not quite what you had in mind? Try the recipe index.

Related posts:

1. pesto stuffed pork tenderloin
2. pork loin with cumin and paprika
3. spicy chicken curry in red sauce

Tip: If you’re going to make a meatless version, I suggest you reduce the vodka and cream to 1/3 cup and leave out the fresh tomatoes unless you want a lot of sauce.

Penne with Vodka Sauce and Meat
(adapted from The Joy of Cooking)
Print this recipe

1 pound penne
1 onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground meat
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
5 tomatoes, chopped
1 28 oz can tomatoes, with their juices
1/2 c vodka
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 c heavy cream
12 leaves basil, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste
freshly grated parmesan

- In a large sauce pan, boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Rinse, drain, and set aside.

- Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add onions and meat. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and drain most of the fat.

- Return the saucepan to the stove. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, vodka, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

- Give the sauce a taste. If the alcohol is too strong, cook a few minutes more. Stir in heavy cream, chopped basil, and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Toss sauce with pasta and serve with freshly grated parmesan.

Serves 6

Not quite what you had in mind? Try the recipe index or request a recipe.

Related posts:

1. back to the basics: tomato sauce
2. mixed seafood pasta
3. spaghetti with fava bean sauce