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| A potted herb garden |
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A few days ago, a Wednesday in
December, I went to Lowe's outdoor garden center and bought herbs and
flowers, tucked them into pots and set them outside onto the little
patio area next to our RV; parked for the winter in Palm Springs,
California. I marvel still at this flagrant display of disregard for
winter, though the calendar confirms the date.
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| A ball carefully placed by Maggie for my notice |
Each morning, I make a big steaming mug
of tea, often from herbs picked and dried from my northern Minnesota
garden nearly a year ago and sit in the sun with Maggie; me, plotting
the day, she, returning the tennis ball I toss to her again and
again. She is still perplexed by the idea of a chain, attaching her
at a 20' length from the steps, something of a cruel joke to a 10
year old dog who almost never leaves my side. This is her first
experience with such a clear assumption of future misdeeds but as
long as I am present, she submits to the affront without indignation.
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| My sidekick |
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I used to sit with her on summer
afternoons,
reading in the herb garden near our house,
with the
pungent scent of black currant bushes on one side
and the occasional
breeze bringing me the scents of
peppermint, chamomile and tarragon
(long ago known by the
mystical
sounding name 'dragon's wort') on the other.
Contrary to gardening sense, early
season herbs are the best to pick and dry for later use, holding the
greatest amount of essential oils and therefore, flavor. Early summer
was the time of year I would begin to gather and hang bunches of
thyme, sage, savory, rosemary and tarragon for cooking and sprigs of
mint and chamomile flowers for tea. Just as contradictorily, today I
sit outdoors with my cup, just days before the winter solstice,
celebrating at once the summers first harvest and the years end.
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| Cremini Mushrooms |
At the end of the day, as I return
home, I notice my newly planted herbs have perked up, having drunk in
a rare southern California rain. The air is chilly and damp and I
peer into our little refrigerator, deciding on dinner. Hmm. Pork
tenderloin, mushrooms, a little goat cheese, lemons from a nearby tree, and
herbs. I gather, mix, taste and stuff. A quick sear browns the
exterior of the meat and I slip it into the oven (along with a
handful of sweet potato wedges) until just medium. One taste and I am
warmed instantly.
I slice a piece of Ciabatta from the
loaf I purchased at the Farmers Market and sit, dog at my feet and
after seemingly endless days and nights of sirens and city traffic
noise I realize that it is suddenly, wonderfully and unexpectedly, as quiet as the
northern Minnesota woods and I relax and enjoy this moment in time.
Herbed Pork Tenderloin
with Lemon and Herbs
This is a quick, easy and hearty
dinner, ready in about 30 minutes. Serves 2-3
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| Local goat cheese and a lemon from a nearby tree |
1 whole pork tenderloin – about 1¼
- 1½ #
Olive oil
1# cremini mushrooms, chopped
½ tsp chopped garlic
3/4 tsp rubbed sage
¼ tsp dried rosemary
¼ tsp dried thyme leaves
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 medium Lemon, zested and juiced
(reserve separately)
2oz chevre cheese
Heat about 2 TBSP olive oil in a medium
sauté pan.
Add chopped mushrooms, herbs and garlic
and sauté until mushrooms are softened.
Add half of the lemon zest and all but
1 tsp of the fresh lemon juice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Reduce the juices slightly then add
goat cheese. It will melt into the mushrooms.
Place filling into a bowl and cool to
lukewarm.
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| Lemon zest |
Cut a pocket into the length of the
tenderloin and stuff with the cooled mushroom mixture.
Seal the tenderloin by tying with
string or with toothpicks.
Rub the tenderloin with the remaining
lemon zest, salt pepper and lemon juice.
Sear the tenderloin in 1 tsp of olive
oil until lightly browned.
Place the browned tenderloin in a
baking dish and roast in a 350degree oven for 20 minutes or until a
meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest
15 minutes.
Remove the picks or string, slice and
serve.
I like to serve pork with roasted sweet
potato wedges and a salad.
Recipe notes:
Not a fan of mushrooms? Replace
them with onions or winter squash. Sauté onions until caramelized, or squash until it begins to soften and continue the recipe.
The rules have changed. It is
perfectly safe to serve pork medium to medium well. Using a meat
thermometer will take the guesswork out of roasting meat. If you are
unsure of appropriate cooking temperatures, look for one with
indicators of rare, medium and well done, etc.
Warm dried herbs by rubbing
between your palms over the pan. This releases the essential oils
and ‘wakes up’ dried herbs.
You can make this up the night
before, hold it in the refrigerator, then sear and roast when you
are ready the next day. The roast may take slightly longer to come
up to temperature once it is thoroughly chilled.
Microplane zesters are fabulous
for citrus but any sharp grater will work.
Make your own tea blend
by mixing some of your favorite herbs together and steeping
in boiling water for 5 minutes. I like to blend a pinch of green tea
leaves with a pinch each of peppermint and chamomile flowers. Lemon
verbena leaf is another great 'tea herb' and is prolific when grown
in pots. Fresh grated ginger and a dash of honey or a drop of
orange oil are great additions, too.
