The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (68 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Marinating pork tenderloin in a soy-sherry mixture and cooking it quickly in batches over high heat ensured the meat was flavorful, juicy, and perfectly cooked. Because different vegetables cook at different rates, we batch-cooked the vegetables and added aromatics (like ginger and garlic) at the end so they cooked long enough to develop their flavors without burning. Chicken broth gave the sauce some backbone, and cornstarch helped the sauce lightly coated the meat and vegetables.
See “SLICING PORK TENDERLOIN FOR STIR-FRIES” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 4
To make slicing the pork easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
SAUCE
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | tablespoons fish sauce |
1 | tablespoon light brown sugar |
2 | teaspoons lime juice |
1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
PORK STIR-FRY
1 | (12-ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips |
1 | teaspoon fish sauce |
1 | teaspoon soy sauce |
2 | lemon grass stalks, trimmed to bottom 6 inches and minced |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
³⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
3¹⁄ | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 | pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch lengths |
1 | large onion, cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh basil |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl and set aside.
2. FOR THE STIR-FRY:
Combine pork, fish sauce, and soy sauce in small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine lemon grass, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl.
3.
Heat 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork to skillet, break up any clumps, and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil and remaining pork.
4.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, add asparagus, and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until browned and almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork. Add remaining 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil to skillet, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add lemon grass mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir mixture into onion.
5.
Return pork and asparagus to skillet and toss to combine. Stir sauce to recombine, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
SERVES 4
To make slicing the pork easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
SAUCE
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
2¹⁄ | tablespoons oyster sauce |
1 | tablespoon dry sherry |
2 | teaspoons toasted sesame oil |
1 | teaspoon rice vinegar |
1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground white pepper |
PORK STIR-FRY
1 | (12-ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips |
2 | teaspoons soy sauce |
2 | teaspoons dry sherry |
2 | tablespoons grated fresh ginger |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
3 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
12 | ounces green beans, trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch lengths |
1 | large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ³⁄ |
3 | scallions, sliced thin on bias |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl and set aside.
2. FOR THE STIR-FRY:
Combine pork, soy sauce, and sherry in small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine ginger, garlic, and 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil in small bowl.
3.
Heat 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of pork, break up any clumps, and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons vegetable oil and remaining pork.
4.
Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet. Add green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork. Add remaining 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil to skillet, add bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, about 2 minutes.
5.
Clear center of skillet, add ginger mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into pepper.
6.
Return pork and green beans to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.
SERVES 4
This take on classic Thai stir-fry is not for those with timid palates. To make slicing the pork easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
SAUCE
2¹⁄ | tablespoons fish sauce |
2 | tablespoons plus 1¹⁄ |
2¹⁄ | tablespoons light brown sugar |
2 | tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | teaspoons lime juice |
1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
PORK STIR-FRY
1 | (12-ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips |
1 | teaspoon fish sauce |
1 | teaspoon soy sauce |
12 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons pepper |
3¹⁄ | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 | medium eggplant (1 pound), cut into ³⁄ |
1 | large onion, cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl and set aside.
2. FOR THE STIR-FRY:
Combine pork, fish sauce, and soy sauce in small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine garlic, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil in second small bowl and set aside.
3.
Heat 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork, break up any clumps, and cook, stirring occasionally,
until well-browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil and remaining pork.
4.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add eggplant and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until browned and no longer spongy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork. Add remaining 1¹⁄
2
teaspoons oil to skillet, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes.
5.
Clear center of skillet, add garlic-pepper mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1¹⁄
2
minutes. Stir mixture into onions.
6.
Return pork and eggplant to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.
1.
Using sharp chef’s knife, slice partially frozen pork crosswise into ¹⁄
4
-inch-thick medallions.
2.
Slice each medallion into ¹⁄
2
-inch-wide strips.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The classic Thai salad called
larb
is made by tossing finely chopped meat and nutty rice powder with fresh herbs and a light dressing that embodies the cuisine’s signature balance of sweet, sour, hot, and salty flavors. We aimed to develop a home-cook-friendly recipe. Grinding our own pork tenderloin in the food processor gave us more consistent results than preground pork from the supermarket. Marinating the meat in fish sauce lent flavor and moisture. We found we could replace the traditional rice powder with rice we toasted in a skillet and then ground in a mini food processor or mortar and pestle. The pungency of sliced shallots and the bright flavor of chopped mint and cilantro yielded a very flavorful salad without a trip to a specialty store.