Barbecued Stuffed Pork Loin, leftover
Ratatouille
Basmati Rice
Cooking time: 80 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We almost let the summer slip past without making this classic vegetable dish. It is a bit fussy and requires about 30 minutes of steady work... But it makes enough for 3 meals, or a crowd, and everyone should have it at least once a summer. We'll make the rest easy: leftover pork with leftover sauce, and some Basmati if you like.
Barbecued Stuffed Pork Loin
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- leftover stuffed pork loin
- leftover barbecue sauce
Instructions:
- Slice pork.
- Lay in a baking dish and pour barbecue sauce over.
- Gently reheat in 350F (175C) oven for 10 - 15 minutes
Ratatouille
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
There are as many recipes for Ratatouille as there are cooks who make it. And as many methods. Some call for cooking it all together in one pot for hours, some in separate pots for 30 minutes, some for sautéing first, others for roasting. This is my way, I think sautéing the vegetables first highlights their individual flavors. The one universal is the list of vegetables (although not their ratio) and stirring in fresh basil at the end!
Ingredients:
- 1 small - medium eggplant (aubergine), about 8oz, 240gr
- 2 small - medium zucchini (courgette), about 14oz, 420gr, total
- 1 1/2 large bell peppers, I used 1/2 green and 1 yellow
- 1 1/2 medium onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 5 medium tomatoes
- 5 laurel (bay) leaves
- 2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
- big handful of fresh basil leaves
- 4 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper optional
Instructions:
- Roughly chop the onions and peppers.
- Mince the garlic.
- Cube the eggplant.
- Slice the zucchini in half the long way, then in 1/4" slices.
- Peel and roughly chop the tomato.
- Heat 1 tbs oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté until starting to brown.
- Add garlic and sauté for a minute or two longer.
- Put onions and garlic (and cooking olive oil) into a large pot.
- Put the pot (with the onions) on low heat.
- Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil. Add peppers and sauté until starting to brown and blister.
- Put peppers and olive oil on top of onions.
- Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil. Add zucchini and sauté until starting to brown and soften.
- Put zucchini and olive oil on top of peppers.
- Return the skillet to heat and add 1 tbs oil. Add eggplant and sauté until starting to brown on all sides.
- Put eggplant and olive oil on top of zucchini.
- Put bay and thyme on top of eggplant.
- Put tomatoes on top of herbs.
- At this point you can add a bit of salt and pepper if you like.
- Give it a gentle stir or two, cover and increase heat slightly until you hear it simmering.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir it every once in awhile.
- When ready to serve, remove from heat, tear the basil leaves, stir in and serve.
Note: It took me about 35 minutes to do the chopping and sauteing; everything was tender and well done in 30 minutes but I let it simmer for 45.
Note 2: Peel tomatoes by blanching in boiling water for 30 seconds first. The peels slip off easily.
Basmati Rice
Total time: 20 minutes
Simple, fragrant, fluffy, quick-cooking ....for me, the perfect white rice for a side dish.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) Basmati rice
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions:
- Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add stock or water and thyme.
- Cook rice for length of time on package.
- When done fluff with fork and serve.
Note: Vary the herbs based on the main course. If fresh are available use 1 tbs, snipped or minced and add during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Cooking Schedule: 80 minutes
Assemble all ingredients and utensils
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
scissors, large nonstick skillet, large pot, baking
dish, small saucepan with lid
Chop onions, sauté
Mince garlic
Chop peppers
Add garlic to onions, sauté
Remove garlic, onions to pot, turn on heat under pot
Add oil, peppers to skillet, sauté
Slice zucchini
Snip herbs
Remove peppers to pot
Add oil,
zucchini to skillet, sauté
Cube eggplant
Chop tomatoes |
Remove zucchini, add to pot
Add oil, eggplant to skillet, sauté
Add eggplant to pot
Add herbs, tomatoes to pot, stir, cover, heat
Turn heat down, let simmer very slowly
25 minute break - interrupt to stir ratatouille
Back?
Start to cook rice
Stir ratatouille
Slice pork
Put pork, sauce in dish
Put in oven, turn on, 350F (175C)
Stir ratatouille, adjust heat if needed
Another break for 15 minutes
Stir ratatouille
Fluff the rice, remove the pork
Stir basil into ratatouille, serve all and eat
Refrigerate the rest of the ratatouille |