Recipe rescue countdown (approx 1h left as at 4:20 EST)

November 12, 2006 1:27 PM

What vegetables / potato / rice accompaniments would go well with pork sirloin roast with mango chutney?

So I've been tasked by my SO with cooking this evening. No problem, except that due to ingredient shortages, the recipe deviated and became pork sirloin roast with mango chutney stuffing.

So far, so good.

Somehow, roast potatoes and corn on the cob (suggested by SO) don't seem like the right thing for this.

Better ideas needed, for both potatoes / rice / vegetable suggestions, but I have only about 1 hour left to get it started.

Help me Mefi-Wan Kenobi - you're my only hope!

posted by blue_wardrobe to food & drink (19 comments total)

Fried apples and baked sweet potatoes.
posted by JayRwv at 1:38 PM on November 12, 2006

Love the sweet potatoes and apples idea! I'll give it a few more minutes to see what else pops up!
posted by blue_wardrobe at 1:41 PM on November 12, 2006

What about roast potatoes and/or corn with a different seasoning - cumin, chili powder, garlic, etc?

That's what I would do. Then again, I'm not a huge fan of mango and/or chutney.
posted by rossination at 1:42 PM on November 12, 2006

Hey, whaddya know. A couple of sweet potatoes are in the fridge! How do you cook 'em? (Brit abroad - hence, ignorance of sweet potatoes)
posted by blue_wardrobe at 1:51 PM on November 12, 2006

You can roast them just as you do carrots or parsnips. Just peel them and cut them into medallions, then bake them in a covered baking dish until they're tender (300F for at least an hour). A little bit of oil will keep them from sticking. I like to put in some fresh thyme, too.

The classic American way of cooking them, though, includes marshmallow creme. I hate sweet potatoes made that way -- too much sweet.
posted by dw at 2:02 PM on November 12, 2006

You can also bake them like potatoes, then a little butter and brown sugar...mmmmm!

Sweet potato casserole when properly prepared is a dessert masquerading as a vegetable. But boy is it good.
posted by konolia at 2:07 PM on November 12, 2006

OK, so no one likes my idea. Fine.

I'll just go eat roast potatoes and/or corn in the corner and/or dark alley.
posted by rossination at 2:12 PM on November 12, 2006

Roast sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. But a lower temp for a longer time is best. But they work great at high temp. You can test it to see if done.
posted by JayRwv at 2:13 PM on November 12, 2006

OK -- so they're in the oven at 300 degrees. I parboiled them for 5 minutes first before I saw these answers. I guess we'll just have to see.

Now to get the apples on.

Rossination: Don't sulk! I just haven't experienced the others yet, and they sound good too. Actually, I'm worried about how the chutney will turnout. The rest of the family may end up in your corner and/or dark alley too!

Everybody else: marshmallow creme? Ewwww!
posted by blue_wardrobe at 2:27 PM on November 12, 2006

What dw is referring to is sweet potato casserole, which is a classic American regional (mainly Southern) dish. It's actually kinda good, in its own way. But, as konolia mentioned, it's basically dessert.
posted by mkultra at 2:39 PM on November 12, 2006

Steamed cubed sweet potatoes mashed with butter and chipotle. Or perhaps even something Indian-ish (cumin, coriander, garam masala) to make nice with the chutney? You can mash the baked ones as well, once the flesh is tender, or just sprinkle some on the roasting/ed ones.
posted by holgate at 2:52 PM on November 12, 2006

I prefer to bake sweet potatoes whole and unpeeled on a baking sheet (prick holes in the skins to prevent explosions while baking). The potatoes get gooey and caramelized at the tapered ends, while retaining a more vegetable-like quality in the thick middles. So you get your veggies and your dessert all in one package!

Marshmallow creme? I've seen the casserole with mini-marshmallows scattered over the top, which lets you pick them off if you don't want 'em, but a whole layer of marshmallow creme just seems icky. However, in defense of the Southern way with sweet potatoes, I must say that sweet potato pie is a stroke of genius.
posted by Quietgal at 3:01 PM on November 12, 2006

bw, enjoy! And next time, give spätzle a whirl. As you might guess from Herr Puck's recipe, traditionell mit Schweinefleisch.
posted by rob511 at 3:02 PM on November 12, 2006

Postprandial report:

So, it all went down very well.

Rossination: I happened to do roast potatoes and corn as well for the kids, just in case. Probably just as well, since my 15-year old son's conservative eating habits kicked in. He didn't like the idea of orange potatoes! I nearly sent him to eat in some corner and/or dark alley.

rob511: grüezi mitenand -- the spätzle will be on my shortlist, for next time I get porked at short notice!
posted by blue_wardrobe at 4:23 PM on November 12, 2006

rutabaga!
posted by wsg at 4:57 PM on November 12, 2006

OK, so no one likes my idea. Fine.

Actually, I think your idea is great. It provides a nice, spicy contrast with the sweetness of chutney. And sweet and spicy do go well together, e.g. jalapeno jelly.

So, it all went down very well.

Yay!

What dw is referring to is sweet potato casserole, which is a classic American regional (mainly Southern) dish. It's actually kinda good, in its own way. But, as konolia mentioned, it's basically dessert.

I think it's how most Americans are acquainted with sweet potatoes; it's a common Thanksgiving side dish in the South and elsewhere. Sweet potato pie is also common, of course. And I've had them mashed, pancaked, and frittered. (not all at once, of course.)

About a decade ago I was in the UK for Thanksgiving and was part of a Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of ex-pats and some of the invited Brits. Sweet potato casserole (with marshmallow creme) was on the menu. The Brits didn't know what to think of it because it was so sweet and yet was served right next to this turkey and stuffing.
posted by dw at 5:11 PM on November 12, 2006

Ah, fantastic. As the guy who was once that finnicky 15-year old, I thank you.
posted by rossination at 8:43 PM on November 12, 2006

Somehow, roast potatoes and corn on the cob (suggested by SO) don't seem like the right thing for this.

The time has passed for my answer to be useful tonight, but here are some suggestions should you find yourself in a similar predicament.

Husk the corn. Prepare a mixture of salt and chili powder. Mix to taste. Start with a teaspoon of each in a mortar, crush and mix until fine. Taste and adjust proportions as necessary. It's better to have too much than to have too little, so make more than you think you'll need.

Fill a small, shallow dish (large enough to hold an ear of corn) with lemon or lime juice. It need not be fresh. I prefer lime. Soak each ear in the dish until wet all over.

If you happen to have fresh lemons or lime, skip the dish, quarter the fruit, slice the flesh of the fruit to the skin. Mash a quarter of the fruit into the corn. Rub it up and down. Make a pulpy mess. When you've covered the corn, squeeze whatever is left onto the corn.

You can sprinkle the salt and chili powder onto the corn, you can mix all of it in a zip lock bag, or you can rub the mixture on with the palm of your hand. The zip lock bag prevents chili in the eye. Sprinkling is less messy than rubbing. I rub.

Now, if you have an open flame (outdoor grill or, if you're adventurous, a gas stove top) this produces the best results. A good mesquite (or flavor of your choice) source of heat is better than propane, but it's probably not all that important given the holy wars this choice seems to incite. Grill the ears over medium heat, turning frequently to be certain you're browning, not burning the corn. The corn will caramelize to some degree, but the chili, salt, and lime balance this out with a beautiful flavor you'll have to discover for yourself. It's done when the ears are browned all the way around. Use tongs to turn the corn.

If you have only an oven available, you can do the same in the broiler with the door open to turn the corn.

You can do something similar with the husk on, but it involves marinating for a good 30 minutes or more in a zip lock bag. It's probably easiest to cook this way in the broiler, but if you like playing with fire, the grill can produce some remarkable results.

You can also prepare aluminum foil enclosures for each individual ear. Mix the lemon/lime with the salt, marinate for 30 minutes or more, put one ear in each foil enclosure, evenly divide the marinade amongst the enclosures and cook at a medium low temperature until the mixture reduces. You'll need to experiment, and probably open the foil a few times to turn the ears, check the ears, and to get a sense of how this works. It will make you want to eat the entire ear, but I suggest you just make more. When you serve the corn, drizzle the reduced sauce in whatever manner you see fit on the ear or plate.

As for the roasting potatoes, you have lots of options. A simple rosemary with butter or oil roasted potato will be delightful with the other complex flavors your serving. Think of it almost as a palette cleanser. I'm not a big potato fan, so I haven't done a lot of experimenting like I have with corn, but you can also roast potatoes over the grill - but I'd probably microwave them until they are mostly cooked first.

As for rice, I'd serve plain white rice, cooked in a steamer. You can add some saffron, but it seems unlikely that most people keep saffron around as a staple. Use a little rice wine to give your rice a delicious flavor. You could also use some sesame seeds in your plain white rice to give the rice a little flavor.

If you should choose corn and rice, you can cook the corn and rice in any manner above, remove the corn from the ear with a pairing knife, and mix the two together. You may wish to add some sesame seeds to the mix for added flavor and texture, but that's not to everyones taste. Then again, neither is corn and rice in a mixture.

For your pork, you could mix 1 part soy sauce with 1 part Dijon mustard. Blend until smooth - can be done with a whisk or fork. Marinade the pork for several hours in a zip lock bag or a shallow dish covered with plastic wrap. Best results will be achieved by marinating over night, but in a pinch you can do it in as little as 30 minutes for good results. Roast, grill, broil your pork to temperature. Don't cook the pork all the way - your still exposing the pork to heat, but not in the oven. Make enough of the soy/mustard mix so that you have left overs that haven't touched raw pork.

Now, make sure your pork sits for ten minutes or so when you're at temperature. Slice the pork into strips, probably 1/2" x 1/2" x 2" inches long. Eyeball it.

Heat a wok to temperature. Make sure your wok is lightly oiled. Add the rice and corn. Don't add lots of oil - you're not making fried rice. Maybe add a little rice wine or a touch of sesame oil, but that's for flavor and texture more than anything. Flip the rice until your arm hurts or the rice is hot and lightly browned. Your rice should be a little reddish orange from the chili in the corn. Clear out the center of the wok while the heat is still high. Make a wall of rice lining the outside of the wok. Now, lay your strips of pork and your soy sauce mustard marinade in the middle. You may want to add a bit of the oil of your choosing to crisp the outside of your pork a bit, but you're not frying it. You can also lower the temperature and cook the pork more slowly while reducing the sauce. The sauce reduces to a golden brown, savory mixture that will knock the socks right off your feet. When you're just about finished with the pork, vigorously mix the rice and corn with the pork. You don't need to do this long, just until well mixed. You can turn the heat off when you start mixing. You can add your favorite vegetables to the rice, but I'd steam them first or cook them in the wok with some oil before adding the rice and corn. Snow peas jump to mind, as do water chestnuts and julienned carrots and leaks.

Alternatively, you can cook the pork as above all the way in the oven in tinfoil with the marinade generously left inside the tinfoil. You can braise the meat this way. You can use various other marinades with soy, but I'd probably avoid sweet marinades. The soy can be overpoweringly salty and ruin the sweet flavor.

Have you tried pork cooked in a dry (not sweet) ginger ale and a little butter? Baste with ginger ale ever ten minutes or so while cooking. This is a trick that can be used with turkey, pork, and chicken, but not really your traditional red meats.

Mashed cauliflower with butter - South Beach mashed potatoes I've heard this called - mixed with garlic can be a nice potato replacement and it's a vegetable that probably would go nicely with your stuffing.

Sorry this isn't a well written recipe. It's really just some thoughts and basic directions to tempt you into enjoying the process.
posted by sequential at 9:45 PM on November 12, 2006

Hey, whaddya know. A couple of sweet potatoes are in the fridge! How do you cook 'em? (Brit abroad - hence, ignorance of sweet potatoes)

There are few things more delicious than a sweet potato desert. If you can make fries out of your sweet potatoes (manually with a knife or with a press), you're in luck! Use a nonstick cooking sheet or spray a little oil or your choice of lubricant on a sticky cooking sheet. Cook your fries until golden brown. Some people spice their fries (a pinch of salt and a pinch of cinnamon, or perhaps lightly sprinkled with finely crushed vanilla bean), but it's really not necessary with well cooked sweet potatoes.

Why is this dessert? Because you're not serving these fries with ketchup. Instead, heat some caramel until it's warm and runny. Either drizzle this artfully over the fries or just serve it in a dipping dish or drizzled under the fries on a serving plate.

Dip fries into caramel, then eat. One word of warning: this is a particularly heavy and sweet desert, but when served while the fries and caramel are fresh off the heat, you can't really disappoint.

In place of caramel, you can also let some good vanilla bean ice cream stand on the counter top for 10 - 30 minutes, depending on room temperature, until the ice cream is good and melted on the edges. Serve a scoop of melting ice cream under the fries.
posted by sequential at 10:00 PM on November 12, 2006