When the Chickens Cluck, I Say “Oink!”

Recently, chickens everywhere starter squawking at me to get my hand out of their hen house and cook another animal for a change. Slightly nervous but still sympathetic, I walked around the butchery section at the store and eventually settled on pork instead.  

 

I invited my old roommate over as motivation to make a meaty dish because, well, it’s more fun to cook for friends! She and I ended up side by side in my cramped one-butt kitchen after she sweetly offered to help. She chopped veggies while supervising me slicing the pork and browning it in the skillet. After tossing all of the ingredients together in a homemade vinaigrette (and snapping some photos, of course!), we sat down to enjoy our dinner and catch up.

 

Really, is there anything better than good food and great friends?

 

 

Pork Fattoush

based on CL’s Pork Fattoush

serves 4

Fattoush is a Mediterranean bread salad that traditionally uses pita. Tortillas or naan would work well too, as well as chicken for the pork.

2 (7-inch) pitas (or 2 tortillas)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

juice from half of one lemon

½ tsp dried mint

1 bell pepper, roasted

1 large tomato

1 cucumber

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin, fat trimmed

1. Toast the pitas (or tortillas) in a convection toaster oven, or in a regular oven set to 400°. Bread into bite-sized pieces.
2. While the bread toasts, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and mint in a large bowl. Chop the pepper, tomato, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces, and add the vegetables to the dressing. Toss to coat.
3. Slice the pork into ½” cubes. Toss in a clean bowl with the garlic. Coat a large pan with nonstick cooking spray, and cook the pork mixture for 5-7 min or until lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Add the pork and toasted bread pieces to the vegetables, and toss everything together to coat with the dressing.

 

 

Advertisement