Nice Rack and other Proteins

In my immense frustration at my seeming lack of coordination with bean flours, with the possible exception of my good friend chick pea flour, I have turned back to meat.  Last night, I had a hankering for pork, which has thankfully returned to my list of acceptable foods. Pork is good.

Now, everyone has had their share of dried out pork roasts and pork chops, unless you grew up where they are smothered in country gravy or slathered in barbecue sauce. My advice to you is try it again with a piece of Fred Flinstonesque bone-in "frenched" rack of pork. Yes, just like rack of lamb. Put two of them together and you get crown roast. That's the roast you see on Tom and Jerry wearing those cute little white hats on every bone. This recipe is for half of that.  It is easy, juicy and makes killer pan drippings to put over mashed potatoes or sauteed swiss chard.

Okay, so this isn't the healthiest recipe I've posted, but it's still better than the BK whopper you were thinking about getting on the way home.

Roast Rack of Pork

4 lb. frenched rack of pork (backbone removed, meat removed from the ends of the ribs)

4 large cloves of garlic
Paprika, smoked or hot
Coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place the rack in a large ceramic baking dish, FAT SIDE UP. You can use Pyrex, but ceramic holds the heat better. Slice each garlic clove into 4 lengthwise slices.  Make 16 small but deep slits in the fat-covered roast.  Plunge the garlic slices down into the meat.  Rub the whole top of the roast with paprika and coarse salt. Put the roast in the oven. Do NOT cover it. After 50 minutes at 425, turn the heat down to 350 and cook for another hour and ten minutes.  Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes or so before carving with a sharp boning knife between the chops.

To use up all the good drippings, saute some greens or make mashed potatoes, and drizzle the pan drippings over the meat and the greens at the table. 

Serve this with people who know and love you. That way they won't be appalled when you chew on the bone at the end of the meal.

And if you can't eat more than 2 oz of meat at a meal (you know who you are), serve the meat to everyone else, and save all the pan drippings for yourself. You did all the cooking; this is your dessert.


If you just don't like the sound of "frenched rack of pork", cause it really just doesn't sound right--and it doesn't sound right to me, either, even though it's delicious--then make frenched rack of lamb, even easier.


Frenched Rack of Lamb

1 frenched rack of lamb, aaahhh... that sounds better
olive oil
salt

Yeah, I know, we didn't use oil for the pork. Do you seriously think something covered in pork fat needs oil? Okay, next question....anyone, anyone? Good, moving on....

Preheat oven to 425.  Put the rack in a ceramic baking dish. You can use Pyrex, metal, yada, yada.  I'm telling you ceramic works best but, by all means, use what you have.. Drizzle with salt and oil. Put in oven for 45 minutes.  Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. So good.

After they're carved, I call these chops "lambsicles", cause the only way to really enjoy them is to pick them up by the bone and dig in with your teeth. 



In the mood for lighter fare? Don't have much time to cook? Then you could try...

Stovetop Turkey Tenderloins Tandoori (which I completely realize is completely unrelated to the other dishes in the post, but you have to eat something.)


1 cup plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt
a handful of Tandoori seasoning which, like curry powder, is a hodge podge of different seasoning. (if you don't have it, you can mix up paprika, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cardamom--or use curry powder)
juice of 1 lemon
salt
4 turkey tenderloins
Sunflower oil or canola oil

Mix the yogurt, tandoori spice, lemon, and salt in a bowl just big enough for the turkey.  Add the tenderloins and mix to coat.  Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan. Toss the turkey in (without the remaining marinade) and cook for 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat.  Cover and reduce the heat slightly.  Cook for another 10 minutes until they are cooked through.  Serve over romaine with Have-It-Your-Way Tomato and Pepper Soup, seasoned with smoked paprika.