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Pork Tenderloin and Risotto
Risotto, which is a creamy Italian rice dish, is a wonderful idea because there are so many different risotto recipes and you can make whichever one appeals to your preferences the most. You can make lobster risotto, mushroom risotto, seafood risotto or a plain risotto, relying on delicate herbs for flavor. Risotto is best made with short grain rice because it swells up and holds the flavor in better than long grain rice would. Arborio rice is the most popular rice for making risotto recipes and most grocery stores sell it.
Whichever risotto recipe you choose, you must take care when preparing this dish. Very often, you need to add the liquid slowly and stir the dish all the time. The rice is usually sautéed for a minute or so, to give it flavor, and then cooked in broth. It is not something you can throw in the pan and leave unattended. If you are willing to keep an eye on the pork tenderloin risotto while it cooks, it should turn out beautifully. Risotto might sound complicated to make but it really is not and even beginner cooks should find it quite straightforward.
There are many risotto variations and the following recipe features pork tenderloin which is a very popular meat. This pork and mushroom risotto is infused with garlic, rosemary, and parmesan cheese. A splash of white wine gives it a traditional risotto flavor and goes nicely with the pork tenderloin. The nut, parsley and breadcrumb topping is really good and this crunchy finish transforms an everyday risotto into something extra special.
Pork Tenderloin and Risotto
Ingredients -
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup short grain Italian rice, such as Arborio
¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup white wine
½ cup frozen peas
1 pork tenderloin (weighing approx. ¾ lbs)
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
6 oz parmesan cheese
Ingredients for the topping
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts
1½ tablespoons melted butter
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Heat ½ a tablespoon of the oil over a medium heat. Fry the garlic, onion, mushrooms and half the salt and pepper. Stir this mixture occasionally until it is soft and the mushroom liquid has evaporated. This should take around 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir well. Add the wine and stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Cover and reduce to a low heat setting. Keep cooking until the rice is nearly tender. This should take about 10 minutes. While it is cooking, cut the pork into 2 inch thick slices. Pound it to ¼ inch thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle both sides of the pork with rosemary and the rest of the salt and pepper.
Add the parmesan cheese and peas to the mushroom mixture. Transfer it to a glass baking dish. Meanwhile, cook the pork in the remaining oil in the skillet over a medium to high heat until brown. Arrange the pork pieces on the risotto.
To make the topping, mix the pine nuts, parsley and breadcrumbs. Drizzle them with butter and toss to mix well. Sprinkle the topping over the pork. Cover the dish in foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the topping is golden. This takes another 10 minutes.
(Serves 4)
Wine Suggestion:
Wines to Serve with Pork Risotto Recipes
This pork tenderloin and risotto goes very well with Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, served at 50ºF. If you are serving one of these wines and they have been in the refrigerator, just leave them out for 45 minutes. Pinor Noir is another good match and is best served at 60ºF (just place the bottle in the refrigerator for 45 minutes) but make sure whichever wine you select is soft and fruity, because they complement the pork tenderloin risotto recipe the best.
Photo Description:
A Picture of delightful Pork Tenderloin and Risotto. This recipe is reminiscent of classic Italian risotto. You will use mouthwatering pork tenderloin to make this a rich and hearty risotto recipe. If you fancy a hearty, satisfying rice dish, pork and mushroom risotto is certainly one to think about. The big chunks of pork with the tasty rice and sauce looks really appealing in the photo and this is a dish that the kids will love too. Pork tenderloin can be used in various recipes but making pork tenderloin risotto is an especially good way to use this delicious meat to its best advantage and showcase its great flavor.
How to Tell if Wine is Corked
Some people sniff the cork when they have removed it, to check it smells of wine. If it smells of mold instead, the wine is probably corked. You can tell if a wine is corked by its smell and taste. It will smell and taste moldy or like a fortified wine if it is corked and will appear to be browner in color.
Corked means that the wine has become oxidized. Corks are bleached with chlorine and this can add to the risk of being corked. Between 2 and 5% of bottles of wine might be corked. Cork producers are looking for other substances to use in the bleaching process rather than chlorine.
If the cork is crumbled or in a bad state, it does not necessarily mean the wine is corked. If bits of cork fall into the wine when you open it, this does not affect the flavor of the wine but pour it through a cheesecloth or fine sieve to remove the cork pieces.
Is it OK to Send Wine Back in a Restaurant?
Many people wonder if sending back wine in a restaurant is an acceptable thing to do and the answer to that question is that it depends. Sometimes wine is corked, which means that oxygen has got into the bottle, and if you get a corked wine that has nothing to do with the quality of the restaurant or bar - it's just bad luck. There is no way to tell whether or not the wine is corked before opening it.
If you sniff the cork or taste the wine and are not sure whether or not there is something wrong, the best thing to do is to mention your concern to the waiter or sommelier (wine waiter) who will then sniff the cork or taste a tiny bit of the wine. If there is a problem, the waiter will simply apologize and bring you another bottle.
If you order a wine and you simply do not like the taste, it is not appropriate to return the wine. Maybe the other people you are dining with would like to finish it and you can order something else for yourself. The best way to avoid this scenario is to ask for a wine recommendation from the sommelier or waiter. You could ask what would go best with your pork tenderloin risotto. Tell him if you are not keen on oaked wine, for example. There is nothing wrong with asking for a wine recommendation. Choose your wine carefully and, if you do stumble upon a great wine, why not jot down its name and year so you can look out for it again?
Learn More About Wine>> California Wine Country Mini Articles are spread through out the site get a list of articles at this link.
