Ingredients
* Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub
* 1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns
* 1 tablespoon whole coriander
* 4 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
* 4 tablespoons sea salt, preferably gray
* 2 (2-pound) boneless pork tenderloins
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast white peppercorns and coriander seeds until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and grind to fine powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Mix the ground pepper and coriander with remaining spices, cocoa and salt.
* Trim the pork tenderloins of fat and silver skin. Rub with a generous amount of the cocoa spice rub. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear each tenderloin on all sides until a rich brown color, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove tenderloins from heat and finish in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
* Let the tenderloins rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving.
* Extra cocoa spice rub will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
* Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter and Bittersweet Chocolate
* 1 small to medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
* 2 tablespoons dark molasses
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
* 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* Gray salt and freshly ground pepper
* Ravioli dough or 3/4 pound sheet pasta purchased from local Italian delicatessen
* Flour, for dusting board
* 4 tablespoons sweet butter
* 8 fresh sage leaves
* 2 ounces Parmesan, for grating
* 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, for grating
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
* Cut squash in 1/2 and scrape out seeds. Spread 1 tablespoon molasses in the cavity. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a roasting pan. Cook in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour. (See Notes.)
* Let cool to room temperature and scoop out flesh into the work bowl of a food processor.
* Puree squash until smooth, then spread on a baking sheet and return to the 375 degree oven to dry, about 10 minutes. The consistency will be like mashed potatoes. Scrape into a large mixing bowl.
* Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon molasses and all the vinegar. Add to squash with mascarpone, Parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well. The recipe can be made ahead to this point (makes 2 cups filling,) Cover well and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.
* To fill the raviolis: Lay out a sheet of pasta dough on a lightly floured board. Cut into circles with a 3 1/2 inch pastry cutter. Put 1 tablespoon squash filling in the center of 1/2 the rounds using either a pastry bag or a small spoon. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around the filling. Moisten borders with water and top with remaining rounds of dough. Press all the air out and seal firmly by pressing all around with fingertips. Lay raviolis out to dry on a lightly floured board or baking sheet and lightly flour the tops. Repeat until you run out of dough and/or filling. To cook, boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve 2 ounces of the cooking water.
* Uncooked, filled raviolis may be used immediately or frozen for 2 months. Lay them out on sheet pans and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer to plastic bag.
* For the Sage Brown Butter: While raviolis are cooking, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter with the sage and a pinch of salt until it foams and becomes light brown. Reserve.
* On medium heat toss the cooked raviolis in the sage butter then transfer to a serving platter or dishes. Add 2 ounces of the cooking water to the pan and swirl with any residual butter. Spoon the butter sauce over the raviolis, then finish with a generous grating of Parmesan and bittersweet chocolate.
* Notes: While I prefer the flavor that oven roasting gives the squash, you can microwave the butternut squash as well for about 30 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave. You will still need to dry the puree in the oven as in the recipe.
Directions
1. Mixed Green Salad with Whole Citrus Vinaigrette
2. 2 lemons
3. 1/2 navel orange or 1 small orange
4. 1 shallot
5. 1 1/2 cups pure olive oil
6. 1 teaspoon gray salt
7. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8. 8 cups mixed young green lettuces
9. Cocoa Nibs (available at specialty and gourmet food stores)
10. Juice the lemons, orange, and shallot in a juice extractor. Put the juices in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Whisk again, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You should have about 2 cups.
11. Just before serving, place the greens in a salad bowl, add about 1/2 cup vinaigrette, and toss well. Add more to taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish the salad with a sprinkling of cocoa nibs to taste.
12. Variation for Blender: Use 3 lemons, 2 small oranges, 1 shallot, 1 teaspoon gray salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 1/2 cups pure olive oil. Cut off and discard the stem ends of 2 lemons and 1 orange. Cut into quarters, cut out the core, and remove seed. Place in a blender. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon and orange; add to the blender with the shallot, salt, and pepper. Pulse and then blend the fruit until as smooth as possible. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The vinaigrette will be thick like a mayonnaise. If it is too thick, with the machine still on, thin with a little hot water. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If the vinaigrette separates, return it to the blender and blend until smooth again. Makes about 3 cups.
13. Tiramisu Bon Bons
14. 1 tray store-bought tiramisu
15. 1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate cut into small pieces, or bittersweet chocolate chips
16. Using a melon baller or small ice cream scoop, spoon out balls from the tray of tiramisu to create the bon bons. Freeze the bon bons on a cookie sheet for at least 1 hour or overnight.
17. Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and glossy. Dip frozen tiramisu bon bons in melted chocolate until covered on all sides. Place the bon bons on a cookie sheet covered in parchment or waxed paper and return them to the freezer. Take bon bons out of freezer and let them thaw for about 15 minutes before serving.
18. Just add some champagne and WOW ………..what a night…Yea Buddy....Good Din To Ya Mate
