Saturday, September 20, 2008

FADING SUMMER ~ COFFEE INFUSED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN / RED BARTLETT PEAR SALAD with BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

"But thy eternal summer shall not fade."
~ William Shakespeare
~ Vibrant gerbera daisy
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COFFEE INFUSED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
~ Lingering robust summer flavor
( adapted from Cooking Light)
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2 (1-lb. trimmed pork tenderloins
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup finely ground coffee
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
2 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 favorite barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  • Combine coffee, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar in large zip-lock plastic bag; add pork and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2-12 hours, turning occasionally. Remove pork from bag; discard liquid.
  • Prepare grill. Combine ground coffee, sugar, paprika, cracked pepper & salt. Rub over pork. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Combine 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of barbecue sauce mixture; set aside.
  • Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Over high heat, grill 3 minutes, turning pork on all sides. Reduce heat to medium and grill 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste with 3 Tbsp. barbecue sauce mixture. Grill 5 minutes or until register reaches 160-degrees (slightly pink).
  • Place pork on platter and brush with reserved 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce mixture. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. (8 servings)


~ Fading gerbera daisy

RED BARTLETT PEAR SALAD with BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE
~ A memorable pairing on the cusp of summer and fall ... Sharp blue cheese and buttery red pears.
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2 diced red Bartlett pears
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
6 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup toasted cashews, walnuts or pecans
freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Combine olive oil, vinegar and blue cheese.
  • In large salad bowl, add greens and toss with vinaigrette. Add pears and nuts and lightly toss again. Season with cracked pepper.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely Gerberas Joey. They are some of my favorite perennials in my garden. They come in such vibrant shades. The pork tenderloin with pear salad sounds absolutely scrumptious. :)

Connie said...

Fabulous photos, as always....and the pear salad sounds wonderful!

RURAL said...

Joey, superb photos! Gerbera are wonderful to shoot, they are so lush, and colorful. What a great recipe, looking forward to trying it out.
Jen

Jane O' said...

I love the black and white gerbera daisy photo. Today I feel like a fading daisy after the all day sale!

GMG said...

Hi Joey! After a short break but a long absence, I’m finally back to the blogosphere and to your excellent blog. However, I've to control my weight...
Blogtrotter

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, vibrant daisies! Summer may be fading, but it doesn't look like your garden is. :)

spookydragonfly said...

Just beautiful photos of your daisies!! Your coffee infused pork tenderloin sounds yummy! I need all the caffeine I can get these days!!

Cindy said...

Love the photos - especially the black and white. They must be even more beautiful in person.

Anonymous said...

Your flowers are as beautiful as you are!

Digital Flower Pictures said...

Your really got the Gerber colors. I would like to try that Black eyed Susan that is poking into the picture. I haven't seen it for sale.

The Pork sounds good, bet it would be hard to fall asleep after that meal.

Rose said...

Beautiful Gerbera daisies--I love these flowers, but never manage to keep them very long. What's your secret?
Why do I always get hungry when I visit here?:)

beckie said...

Gerbera daisys shout color while most flowers whisper. I have no luck with these though-they never reblom for me.

joey said...

P.G. ~ Gerberas make a bold statement for sure as do the strong but complientary flavors in this post.

Thanks Connie. Autumn and pears ~ a perfect pair!

Thanks dear Jen. Hope you enjoy ;)

Hope all went well, Jane Marie. Don't we all have days like that? Please know you are not alone dear one. Tomorrow is another day ...

Here, there, and everywhere, Trotter, you move so fast a few hearty calories don't have time to catch up ;)

Hi dear Nancy ... even in a waning garden, stars always shine (like gifted writers I know).

Me too, Spooky! I couldn't live without my coffee (and love how it also spikes flavor in food).

Thanks Cindy ... fading black & white speaks of softer moments.

I'm blushing, Anonymous. I think it might be you who makes me smile.

Thanks Chris ... a little nap does one well. Kudos on your fine blog ... rest well knowing you deserve it ;)

Hi Rose ... I use gerberas for indoor centerpieces in the spring then plop them in the garden to provide further joy throughout the summer. As you can see, they seem very happy to vacation there.

For years I tried gerberas in pots, Beckie ... they pooped and flopped. But once I began planting them in the garden, they flourished.(Happy me ... happy them)

Unknown said...

As you know, I've been under the weather for months, and cooking just tires/bores me most of the time. But Joey, reading your blog makes me want to actually start cooking things again! You have such a flare for interesting recipes combined with your glorious photography, and what I think I should do is simply go to your blog every morning, land on a different entry, and try something. Most of your recipes don't require a lot of complicated ingredients or procedures, and for that I'm so grateful. Doing the pork tomorrow, I think (we're finishing up turkey a la turkey soup today.)

joey said...

I hear your dear voice, jodi ... I've missed you so but understand silence also dealing with life's many twists and turns. Regarding recipes, simple is the best and my mission is to simply tweak others to look about (with a macro eye in awe) and cook healthy seasonal food shouting, "Eat me!" (Although an occasional taste of the forbidden has its merit and feeds a hungry soul). Get well wishes, like the passing season, fly across the miles. (BIG HUGS)