Pork Tenderloin with Spinach and Goat Cheese in Filo Pastry

Last time I was grocery shopping I picked up a package of filo pastry, not for any particular recipe, but just because I love the crisp, flaky layers created when it bakes. When I realized that there was some fresh spinach and goat cheese that needed to be made use of, the filo popped into my mind.

I would usually reach for chicken breasts to wrap in filo, but I had just bought some pork tenderloin, so I went with this instead. It also allowed me to use the half jar of cherry and port jelly...both in the pastry and as a sauce when I served the filo wrapped pork.

The other item in the fridge that I used was the fresh sage, but as my husband is not a huge fan of  large amounts of this herb, I infused some of it in olive oil and used this instead of butter on the filo pastry.

A few hours before starting the filo, infuse some olive oil with fresh sage and garlic. To do this heat:

1/2 cup olive oil
3 - 4 sage leaves,roughly torn
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Heat until the oil starts to bubble around the sage leaves and garlic, and then remove from the heat and allow it to infuse.

Wilt the fresh spinach, drain and allow it to cool completely.

You will need:

3 - 4 large handfuls of spinach






Turn the oven on to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

When the spinach is cool, squeeze as much moisture out of it as you can, and roughly chop it. you should have:

1/2 cup chopped spinach

Combine it with:

1 cup soft goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.

Heat some of the sage infused olive oil in a pan large enough to fit the pork, and keeping the heat high, sear all sides of the pork.

Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

On a clean counter, lay out 1 piece of filo pastry, and brush it with the sage infused oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of ground black pepper.

Repeat until you have a stack of 4 filo sheets, brushing the last layer with oil.

Fold a sheet of filo in half, brushing the middle with oil, and placing it across the centre of your stack of filo sheets.

Brush the top of the folded sheet with oil.

Brush a layer of cherry and port jelly over the half sheet of filo.

Place half of the spinach and goat cheese across the centre of the jelly.

Place the seared pork on top of the spinach and goat cheese, and then spread the remaining spinach and goat cheese across the top of the pork.

Start to fold the filo pastry around the pork:

Fold the long edge over the pork, and then tuck the two short ends over, as shown.

Continue to roll the pork tenderloin and pastry up until you have a sealed roll.

Place the filo wrapped pork seam side down onto the baking sheet, and brush the top with the sage infused olive oil.

Bake until the pork is cooked through and the filo is golden and crisp, about 30 - 40 minutes.






Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into 1/2" thick slices. I served the filo wrapped pork with creamy leek mashed potatoes and green beans. Heat any remaining jelly, and drizzle it onto the plate, or pass it at the table.

• The flakiness in filo pastry is created by layering the paper thin sheets of pastry with melted butter. I opted to use olive oil instead of butter: it's a healthier fat, and it also allowed me to infuse it with the sage and garlic.
• If you wish to use melted butter, mince the garlic and sage and sprinkle a small amount over the butter in between each layer of pastry.
• As far as flavours go, any fresh herb can be used. Good choices with pork are also rosemary or thyme.
• There was olive oil left over, and I have been using it to cook other things, such as onions for pasta sauce last night. Nothing needs to go to waste!
• Filo pastry is very delicate, handle it with care. Keep the sheets that you aren't using well covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
• The cherry and port jelly added a nice touch of sweetness, which is always nice with pork. Any type of jelly, sweet or sweet and spicy can be used.
• This can also be made using beef or lamb tenderloin, or chicken breast.
• The baking time for this depends on the size of your pork tenderloin, and how long it was seared for.
• The wrapped pork can be made a day ahead, and stored well wrapped in the fridge. It can also be frozen. Defrost before baking.
• To make the creamy leek mashed potatoes, boil and mash potatoes as you normally would. While the potatoes are boiling, cook half a leek, thinly sliced in some olive oil, and add 1/4 cup of whipping cream when the leeks are soft. Allow the cream to reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper and stir into the hot mashed potatoes.

Beef Korma

My husband has been asking for Indian inspired food again, wanting to stay on the mild side but still keep all of the lovely spicy flavours. Of course, butter chicken came to mind, but as I had a lot of beef stew to use, half of it got set aside for this meal, and the other half was turned into goulash.

Looking around the kitchen I found some coconut milk in the freezer, some tomato paste in the fridge and some almonds in the cupboard, so working with these ingredients, I made my own version of beef korma.

It delivered on the spiciness, without the heat, and was creamy thanks to the coconut milk. I served it over plain basmati rice, which soaked up all of the yummy sauce....this dish will definitely be made again!

Make a spice blend by combining the following in a spice blender, and grinding until fine:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 cardamom seeds
a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
2 whole cloves
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Add:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix until fully combined.

Whisk in:

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Set aside until needed.

In a hot, heavy bottomed pan, heat a bit of olive oil, and quickly brown:

1 pound beef stew, cut into 1/4" thick slices
salt and pepper to season

When the beef is browned, remove from the pan and set aside until needed.

In the same pan, with a bit of olive oil, cook until soft and starting to brown:

1 medium onion, thinly sliced.

Stir in the reserved spice mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring.

Add:

the browned beef strips
1/4 cup water

Cook for a couple of minutes, to coat the beef with the spices.

Stir in:

1 cup coconut milk



Cover and simmer until the beef is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve the hot beef korma over rice. Place your favourite fruit chutney on the table for people to add if they wish.

• Do not feel that this dish is limited to beef. You can use chicken or lamb if you prefer.
• Cooking the korma covered creates steam inside the pot, which keeps the meat moist, and prevents all the liquid from evaporating.
• No coconut milk? Then use whipping cream, or yoghurt. Whipping cream will make the dish richer, yoghurt will also add a bit of a tang.
• Garnish with toasted almonds if you have extra...I had exactly 2 tablespoons.
• Add more vegetables if you wish...carrots, peppers, squash or chickpeas.
• The korma can be made and frozen; a perfect reason to double or triple the recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Chick Pea Soup

For me, one of the best parts of the cooler weather is soup. Warming, tasty, not too heavy, quick and easy to make and it often allows me to use up bits and pieces.

This soup is a great example of all of these qualities. When making the Gnocchi with Chicken, Asparagus, Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto last night I also roasted the remaining grape tomatoes, and three sweet peppers that were in the fridge. Some chick peas and chicken stock pulled from the freezer and I had the makings of a lovely soup.

The peppers added sweetness, and the chick peas added the thickening element (no need for potatoes). The addition of  herb and garlic Boursin cheese just before serving added some creaminess to the finished soup.

In a 400F oven, roast 1 1/2 - 2 cups of whole grape tomatoes, and 3 sweet peppers in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. When cooled, peel and seed the peppers. Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed pot, with a bit of olive oil, cook until softened:

1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
salt and pepper

When the onions are soft, add:

the roasted tomatoes and any juices from the roasting dish

Add:

the 3 roasted, peeled and seeded peppers and any juices from the roasting dish

Add:

2 sprigs fresh thyme
Chicken stock to cover the vegetables

Bring to a boil.

Stir in:

1 cup chick peas

Turn the heat down and simmer until the carrots are soft.

Remove from the heat, and using a hand blender or food processor, puree the soup.

Strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the tomato and chick pea skins, leaving you with a silky smooth soup.

Return the soup to the heat, adjusting the consistency by adding more chicken stock if needed.

Taste and adjust seasoning.







When the soup has heated through again, serve it garnished with some crumbled garlic and herb Boursin cheese and a sprig of fresh thyme. I also toasted some thinly sliced sourdough bread and passed that at the table.

• Fresh tomatoes, seeded or canned tomatoes can be used instead of grape tomatoes. Both can be roasted, or left as is. Roasting the tomatoes enhances their flavour, giving it more depth and also increases the sweetness.
• Purchased roasted peppers can be used if you like.
• Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make this a completely vegetarian soup.
• Pureeing the chick peas allows the starch in them to thicken the soup. If you want to set some aside to use for garnish, go ahead. You can also roast some to crisp them up and add those as a garnish.
• Instead of chick peas use other beans such as cannellini, navy or kidney. A peeled and diced potato can also be used instead of chick peas.
• As far as flavourings go, I kept it simple: salt, pepper and fresh thyme. This way the sweetness of the peppers was not masked. Of course, you can add whatever herbs and spices you choose...paprika or smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, basil.
• Soft goat cheese can be used in place of the herb and garlic Boursin. To keep this vegetarian, garnish your soup with some Basil Pesto, instead of using cheese.

Gnocchi with Chicken, Asparagus, Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto

At the top of my list of things to use were some asparagus and grape tomatoes. Two things that are perfect for quiche or pasta, but a friend had been asking me about making gnocchi, which had me wanting gnocchi....so that's the route this meal took.

I defrosted some of the Basil Pesto I have in the freezer to use as a sauce, and used the last few pinenuts as a garnish, together with shaved Parmesan. All very tasty, and my husband had leftovers for lunch today.

The chicken is optional, and I added it because we wanted the meat.

Start off by making (or buying) potato gnocchi, and cooking them in lightly salted water, at a slow boil. When the gnocchi rise to the top, scoop them out and place them onto an oiled baking sheet to cool. Set aside until needed.

Turn the oven on to 400F.

In a hot pan, using some olive oil, sear the chicken. You will need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper

When the chicken is seared on both sides, add:

a handful of grape tomatoes

Toss to coat the tomatoes with oil, season them with salt and pepper and place the pan into the oven to finish cooking the chicken, and to roast the tomatoes.

While the chicken and tomatoes are cooking, heat a bit of olive oil in a large wok or pan, and add:

1 shallot, minced
salt and pepper

Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add:

12 - 16 asparagus spears, cut into 2" pieces

Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.

Add the cooled gnocchi to the pan and continue to cook, stirring gently and often to prevent sticking.

The gnocchi will start to crisp slightly; that is what you are looking for.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Add the roasted grape tomatoes and pan juices to the gnocchi.

Add Basil Pesto to taste. Mix gently to coat all the gnocchi.

I added:

1/4 cup of Basil Pesto

Taste and adjust seasoning.





 To serve, place the gnocchi in the dishes, and top with the thinly sliced chicken breast. Garnish with toasted pinenuts and shaved Parmesan. I also passed extra Basil Pesto at the table, in case someone wanted more!

• Pasta can be substituted for gnocchi.
• The tomatoes do not have to be roasted; I like the extra flavour it creates. You can leave them whole, or halve them, and add them with the aparagus. Peeled, seeded and chopped large tomatoes can also be used if you like.
• The asparagus does not have to be blanched, as it has plenty of time to cook while the gnocchi heat up.
• Other vegetables that could be used are broccoli, broccolini, sweet red peppers, sundried tomatoes, olives, mushrooms or zucchini.
• I have an abundance of  Basil Pesto in my freezer, as I had a bumper crop of basil this year. If you do not have any, use Basic Tomato Sauce instead.
• The chicken can be roasted, as I did, or it can be cubed and cooked in the pan with the shallots, adding the asparagus when the chicken is almost fully cooked.

 

Pecan Thumprint Cookies with Apricot Jam

These cookies have always been a favourite of my youngest daughter, who believe it or not, is not a fan of chocolate chip cookies!

I am also a fan of them for a few reasons....they are easy to make, they are fun to eat and they are flexible as far as allowing me to use up bits and pieces from the baking cupboard.

They do come with two warnings, though. Firstly, do not even try and eat them until they have cooled completely, or you will burn your mouth with the boiling hot jam. Secondly, they are way too easy to eat and disappear very quickly.

That being said, let's bake some cookies!!!

Turn the oven on to heat up to 350F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, grind until the nuts are fine:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pecans

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, whip until light:

8 ounces softened butter

Add the ground nuts and sugar to the butter, and continue to mix until combined, and creamy.

Add:

1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Mix to combine.

Add half the dry ingredients. The total dry ingredients are:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

When the first half of the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the rest and mix until just well combined. You will have a firm dough.

Roll the dough into balls that are about 1" in diameter. You should have about 32 balls.

Gently flatten each ball until it is about 2" in diameter, and press down with your thumb in the centre to make an impression (this is where the jam will go).

Bake the cookies until they are set, but not completely cooked, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and gently press the thumbprints down, as the dough will have risen slightly while baking.

Place a spoonful of jam into each thumbprint.

Place the tray back into the oven to finish baking.

Bake until the edges of the cookies are golden and the jam is starting to bubble, about 6 - 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.





These cookies make a great snack, are great as part of a dessert platter or with ice cream, and are fun to give as hostess, teacher or Christmas gifts. Just remember to be patient and let them cool!

• Thumbprint cookies can be made two ways...with the nuts incorporated into the dough as I do, or with the balls of dough rolled in nuts before baking. I prefer to have the nuts in the dough, as it is one less step after the dough is made, there is less chance of the nuts burning in the oven, and the nuts add a nice crunch and richness to the dough.
• As far as jam goes, any jam you have works. I used the apricot and vanilla jam I made this summer, with the fruit from our tree.
• Other fillings can also be used; some need to be added after the cookies are completely baked and cooled. Those that can be baked include jellies, fruit compote or even Christmas mincemeat. Those that need to be added once the cookies are cool include ganache, fruit curds such as lemon or lime, dulce de leche, buttercream.
• As long as you have 1 cup of nuts in total, anything goes. I have used pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans and almonds. Try macadamia nuts, peanuts or walnuts.
• If you do not have a food processor, buy ground nuts  and use those instead. For 1 cup of whole nuts you will need approximately 150g of ground nuts.
• The balls of dough freeze well; defrost and proceed from there. I like to do this, baking the cookies as needed over Christmas. It also stops us from eating them all!
• Once the cookies are baked they last for 2 - 3 days, as the jam starts to soften the cookie. They still taste great, but don't have the contrast of gooey jam and crispy cookie any longer.