Whiskey and a Pig
I love this meal. It's so easy whether you're cooking for one or for 10, it's good every time. It is the most simple meal and in theory this should be a very healthy meal, the lean protein, the green vegetable and the star player - the sweet potato. Not on my clock baby, with me it's pure indulgence. We're going to marinade the protein in a deep and velvety whiskey sauce, the green beans are going to be sprinkled with a little cheese and the sweet potatoes are going to be slathered, and I mean slathered in butter and served to perfection. Just a couple of extra little touches - the nutmeg in the sweet potatoes, the shallots in the sauce - make this a meal that people will keep talking about.
Pork loin with whiskey glaze, green beans and mashed sweet potatoes.
1 Porkloin seasoned with salt and pepper. You can also get a prepared loin at Fresh Direct which can make everything infinitely easier for you!
For the sauce:
1 Shallot minced
A small amount of grated ginger
1/2 cup of whiskey
1/4 cup of stock
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
A splash of sesame oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
A few shakes of Worcestershire Sauce
Preparation:
In a baking dish, mix all the ingredients together for your whiskey glaze and marinade the loin for about 1/2 an hour. Place the loin in a 425F oven for 10 minutes. If you need to, add some additional water or stock to the pan. Lower the heat to 365F, cover with a foil tent and cook for about an additional 40 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven, let it rest and slice into medallions. At this point your sauce should be thick and velvety.
Quarter 4 large sweet potatoes and drop into boiling water. Cook until tender, drain and mash. Add the butter, 4 pinches of salt, a splash of cream and a few grating of fresh nutmeg.
Par boil a few handfuls of greenbeans, place on a baking sheet and pop into 375F oven for 5-7 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Plate your chop, sweet potato cream and beans and spoon out the glaze over the dish. This is comfort food at it's best.
