My Pantry Shelf

Over the past four and a half years, my husband and I have mastered the art of the special dinner at home.  Our kids, too young to tuck themselves in, hold us captive.  We have a running joke where one of us asks, “What do you want to do tonight?”  In response, the other spouts off lists of adventurous ideas all involving actually leaving the house together, even though our kids are sound asleep.   We laugh as we pretend we have options aside from the rented movie, the game of dominoes, or going to sleep at a deliciously early hour- oh, now I really am sounding old.  All jokes aside, a night at home can be quite special.  We prefer to celebrate the opportunity staying in presents, rather than long for the greener grass.

In our home every detail of our meal can be catered to our whim.  We choose festive, fancy, or casual.  Our tastes can travel to Thailand, Italy, or Mexico.  We can eat with china or our fingers.  At home we make the food exactly how we want to eat it.  We use only the freshest, seasonal ingredients, all at a fraction of the cost of a nice restaurant meal.  There is no need for reservations or babysitters.  Perhaps the best reason to celebrate the special dinner at home, is the pride and satisfaction of sitting down together to eat a meal which one of us (or both) have put our heart and hands into preparing with love.

Our most recent special meal was  Herb Rubbed Pork Loin.  I used an exceptional brine from the girl and the fig that I have used in the past with chops.  Brining allows the meat to retain moisture through the cooking and infuses the meat with tremendous flavor.  To ensure the brine and seasoning could permeate the entire roast, I sliced the meat horizontally, a technique I picked up from Cook’s Illustrated.  After the brine, I marinated the meat in mustard and herbs from the garden.  We were able to take advantage of unseasonably warm weather here in Sonoma County and grill the loin.  This could easily be roasted in the oven as well with the added bonus of being able to collect the juices for a gravy.

The pork loin turned out incredibly moist and flavorful.  The brine perfectly seasoned the interior of the meat, and the marinade gave a delightful herbal tang to the exterior.  Do not overlook the Onion, Raisin, Garlic Compote, it is fabulous!  We both agreed that we could eat an entire bowl of it as an official side dish.  Onions, raisins, and garlic are cooked down with butter, port, and herbs.  This is a perfect accompaniment to the pork loin.  This meal turned another night at home with the family into a special night indeed.

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