And now for something completely different, Christine Datian offers us her Italian Pork Loin with Pasta and Vegetables entrée which appeared in the December 24, 2016 edition of The Armenian Mirror-Spectator newspaper, pg. 16. Christine is always thinking of new and exciting ways to combine everyday ingredients into scrumptious meals.
This is definitely worth a try!
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| Christine Datian’s Italian Pork Loin with Pasta and Vegetables |
Italian Pork Loin with Pasta and Vegetables
by Christine Vartanian Datian
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin, cut into medium pieces
1 large white onion, roughly sliced or diced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 stalks celery and top greens, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth
1/4 cup black or Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans Italian-style crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, thyme and marjoram,
crumbled
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
Dash of nutmeg
Olive oil, unsalted butter
Fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley, about 1/3 cup
1 cup dry white wine
*****
1 lb. packaged or
fresh rigatoni, penne or angel hair pasta (or pasta of choice), cooked and
drained
Topping Options: Fresh
grated Pecorino, Romano or Parmesan cheese, Fresh basil, crushed red pepper
flakes, toasted bread crumbs and pine nuts
Preparation:
Lightly salt and pepper the pork pieces. In a large pot, brown the pork in olive oil
with the garlic; remove pork and the garlic from pot and set aside. Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, and
peas to the pot with remaining olive oil and butter, toss, and cook until the
onions are caramelized.
Add the pork and garlic back to the pot with the cooked
vegetables; add the remaining ingredients (except the parsley and wine) and
stir; bring the sauce to a full boil, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for
about 1 hour, stirring to ensure the sauce does not stick or burn. Add the parsley and wine about 15 minutes
before serving, and adjust seasonings; continue to cook uncovered for the
remaining time. Remove the bay leaf.
Boil the pasta to taste and drain.
Serve pasta in bowls and top with the sauce
and choice of cheese, basil, red pepper flakes and toasted bread crumbs and
pine nuts, if desired.
Note: This recipe may be made in a large crock pot
for all-day cooking. Repeat steps 1 and
2, brown the pork with the garlic in olive oil, drain and set aside. Add the vegetables and cook until onions are
caramelized; add remaining ingredients (except the parsley and wine) to the
crock pot and cook on low heat for 6 hours; stir occasionally until pork and
vegetables are tender; add the parsley and wine 30 minutes before serving and
adjust seasonings.
*Christine’s recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee,
Sunset and
Cooking Light Magazines, and at
http://thearmeniankitchen.com/
*For Christine’s recipes that have been published in Sunset
and Cooking
Light Magazines, go to:
<http://www.myrecipes.com/search/site/Datian>
http://www.myrecipes.com/search/site/Datian