I love love love cookbooks with interesting graphics or layouts.
I have been known to buy books for those two reasons alone, a well thought out book graphically can even trump content. I have a book called 'How to Drink' where all of the graphics are made only of letters and punctuation, it's wonderful. But I have a habit of collecting cookbooks and using the internet to find recipes instead. I've decided to make a concerted effort to use my cookbooks as more than bookshelf artwork. What better way to start than when cooking for company?
The second evening with the Cooks included more delicious food from a platter of figs.
The pork loin seasoning was great but it turned out a little dry (I think I cut into it too soon). I added the potatoes & onions to the same baking dish and cooked them with olive oil & rosemary. The same way I remember my grandparents cooked them for sunday dinner when I was little.
For a side we had tomato & ricotta crostini. Surpisingly tomatoes are a summer fruit, they don't need anything more than a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt to be perfectly sweet and delicious. Of course, anything used to top toasted bread and cheese can't be bad.
I loved our weekend with the Cook family and I hope we can spend time with them again soon!
(Click the link to see the dinner from Platter of Figs, Menu One.)
Roasted Pork Loin
3 lb pork loin with 1/4 in fat cover
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
salt & pepper
olive oil
6-10 rosemary sprigs
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. With the roast upside down, slit the meat on the sides and bottom and insert garlic slices. Season meat with salt, pepper & a hefty drizzle of olive oil. Line roasting pan with rosemary sprigs and set the roast on top. Roast the loin for 45 minutes until the internal temperature is at 130 degrees. Remove the roast, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Roasted Potatoes
2lbs new potatoes
1/2 onion, sliced
Toss potatoes & onion with olive oil, rosemary, salt & pepper. In the same pan as the pork loin, place potatoes and onions around the meat. Roast with meat at 425 degrees of 45 minutes until golden & skins begin to crack.
Tomato Ricotta Crostini
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1 french baguette, sliced
16 oz ricotta
basil, thinly sliced
olive oil
salt & pepper
Toss tomatoes in olive oil, basil, salt & pepper. Spread ricotta on toasted slices of french bread and top with tomato mixture
Happy Cooking!
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