Rum Raisin Pork

Molten chocolate cakes with coffee whipped cream headline this dinner of allspice-rubbed pork tenderloin with rum raisin sauce, pear salad with garlic oat crunch & blue cheese dressing, and sautéed spinach with nutmeg.

• Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce
• Chocolate Molten Cakes with Coffee Cream
• Pear Salad with Garlic Oat Crunch and Blue Cheese Dressing
• Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

• 2 x pork tenderloins, silver skin removed and thin end removed and reserved for sauce
• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• Salt and pepper
• Oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

1. Cut each tenderloin in half yielding four total pieces.
2. Sprinkle with allspice, salt and pepper, rubbing all over the pork.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sear pork on all sides, letting it cook for a total of 15 to 20 minutes for medium to medium well.
4. Remove from the pan and let rest on a rack, covered with foil until ready to serve.
5. Remove excess oil from skillet and then place back over heat.
6. Add pork scraps and sear.
7. Add water and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.
8. Simmer until the water has reduced and dissolved the brown bits into a quick flavourful broth.
9. Remove large pork scraps and pour in rum, cream and raisins.
10. Reduce again until the sauce has thickened.
11. Slice pork in half, on an angle and serve with the sauce.

Chocolate Molten Cakes with Coffee Cream

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Cakes

• 8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
• 4 x eggs
• 4 tbsp brown or white sugar
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 6 x ramekins or a muffin pan
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sugar

The Coffee Whipped Cream

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup 35% whipping cream
• 1 tbsp instant coffee

Directions:

The Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Fill a medium-sized pot one third full with water and bring to a simmer.
3. Fit a medium-sized bowl over the simmering water, add the chocolate and butter and let melt.
4. Meanwhile beat the eggs with brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa and salt.
5. Pour in melted chocolate and mix well.
6. Rub each ramekin or the inside of each muffin mold with a thin film of butter.
7. Lightly sprinkle each with sugar and shake to coat the inside.
8. Pour in the cake batter and place on a baking sheet.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the outside of the cakes are baked through but the centers are still a bit runny.
10. Let cool for a few minutes, the cakes will shrink a bit and pull away from the mold.
11. If necessary, run a paring knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them.
12. Invert onto a plate or all at once onto another baking pan.
13. Garnish with a spoonful of coffee whipped cream.

The Coffee Whipped Cream

1. Whip together the sugar, whipping cream, and instant coffee, until stiff.

Pear Salad with Garlic Oat Crunch and Blue Cheese Dressing

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Garlic Oat Crunch

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cups rolled oats
• 3 Tbsps honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 
  

The Blue Cheese Dressing

• 4 ounces blue cheese
• 4 ounces olive oil
• 2 ounces white wine vinegar
• 2 ounces honey
• Salt and pepper

The Salad

• A few handfuls of mixed baby greens, washed
• A few handfuls of baby arugula, washed
• 1 x small bunch watercress, washed and ends trimmed
• 2 x pears, cored and sliced thinly

Directions:

The Garlic Oat Crunch

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Combine ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
3. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Let cool.

The Blue Cheese Dressing

1. Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and puree with an immersion blender or puree in a blender until smooth.
2. Adjust seasoning.

The Salad

1. Place salad ingredients into a large salad bowl and sprinkle with garlic oat crunch.
2. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and toss well before serving.

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 x onion, minced
• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

1. Melt butter in a large sauté pan and then add onions.
2. Sauté until they are softened, then add spinach.
3. Stir until it wilts and then stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

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