Don’t tell anyone, but I live on the greatest block in the greatest neighborhood in the city. Several years ago, we cut a gate between our backyard and that of our next-door neighbor. The neighbor next to them have done the same, creating 3 continuous backyards. During the waning (and warming!) days of Phase 2 quarantine, we began grilling and socializing together – keeping our 6’ of distance, of course! We’d put 3 tables in the middle yard – one for each family. The boys would shoot hoops in our yard, or play with the dogs in the far yard, while we adults sat at our socially distant tables, drinking cocktails and enjoying separate bowls of guacamole & chips. The Zoom classes I taught during quarantine were a special boon to us all – lots of beautiful food created during the class resulted in the perfect opportunity to gather and share. This pork dish I created for my last Zoom Class, themed “Driveway Dinner” was a particular hit. And the Beer Shandies with fresh lemonade we made were so good, I’m sharing that recipe with you, too! Now is the perfect time to try this out with some friends and family soon!
Grill Kissed Pork Tenderloin with Scallion Salsa Verde over Warm Potato “Salad” and Beer Shandies
Pork Tenderloin
- Two 12 – 16 ounce pork tenderloins (do not used pre-seasoned or liquid injected pork)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic (garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
Scallion Salsa Verde
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced (use white and green parts)
- Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 mint leaves, minced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- Juice of ½ large lemon
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- Salt to taste
Potato Salad
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- Large handful flat leaf parsley
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ Pounds red bliss potatoes, skin on, cut into ¾” – ½” pieces
Beer Shandies
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Zest of one large lemon
- 1 ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 5-6 large lemons)
- 3 cup cold water
- 6 ounces of IPA or good lager per person
- Tall Glasses
Pork Tenderloin
- Trim the pork of silverskin and remove the very thin end (reserve for another use, if desired). Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining spices in a small bowl and sprinkle generously on all sides of the pork. Set aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
- To start on grill and end in oven: Preheat a grill or grillpan over medium-high heat. Preheat your oven to 400 (preheat to 425 if cooking more than one tenderloin.)
- Place the pork on the grill grates and grill 2 minutes on one side; turn and grill 2 minutes on the other side. Flip to an edge and cook 30 seconds, flip to the last edge and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove and place on a sheet pan. Place the pork directly into the preheated oven and roast to an internal temperature of 130. Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil and rest 10 minutes. Slice.
- To cook completely on the grill: Build a 2 stage fire in your grill with one part at 500 and another part about 350. Follow the above directions and sear the pork on the hot portion of the grill. Remove the pork to the cooler portion and cook, turning every 6 minutes, until the internal temperature of 130 is reached. Remove, tent with foil and follow the above directions.
- To serve, arrange the warm potato salad on a serving platter. Shingle the pork slices on top and dollop the salsa verde over the entire platter.
Scallion Salsa Verde
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss together. Store at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerate until service. Serve at room temperature.
Warm Potato Salad with Herb Butter
- Combine the soft butter, parsley and salt together in a small bowl until fully combined. Set aside at room temperature.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Carefully add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork tender, about 12 - 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place them on a sheet pan, spread into a single layer. Dollop the prepared herb butter over the potatoes, allowing it to melt onto the potatoes. Scrape the potatoes onto a serving platter or bowl.
Beer Shandies with Fresh Lemonade
- Heat the sugar, water and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let stand 10 minutes, then strain out the zest.
- Pour the fresh lemon juice and 1 ½ cups of the syrup into a large pitcher. Fill with the cold water. Taste and add more syrup if needed – keep it on the tart side.
- For the shandy, fill tall glasses halfway with the lemonade and top with the beer.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/