summer cottage recipes

So at the cottage we rented with the family, we were all responsible for 2 dinner meals. Cooking a meal for 10 people means big things and we opted for the classic camp meal, beer can chicken, roasted potatoes and a salad for one of our nights. Nothing crazy but still crazy delicious.


The other night we opted to do something a bit more adventurous and made a Coffee and Cola Pork Loin Roast with Spicy Smoky Cauliflower Mash and String Beans in a Vinaigrette.


Holy. Crap. It was so good. And I'm not a real fan of pork roast normally and can take it or leave it really. But I knew the family was crazy for it so thought this would be a good choice. If I ever make another pork roast, this will likely be the only one I'll ever make. I went mental for this roast and was thinking of leaving Marc for it, it was that good. Cauliflower was equally delicious and got me out of the rut of making cauliflower the same way we always do which is bake it with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Still delicious mind you, but the same old same old. And fresh green beans in a dijon vinaigrette? Well you'd have to be dead not to like that. It's so great for the summer.


Anyway, recipes are below and I recommend trying them. They're all from that super weird show on the Food Network Simply Delicioso with the super weird host Ingrid Hoffman who I frankly, cannot stand.


















Coffee and Cola Pork Loin Roast
For the pork loin:

1 cup warm water, plus 1 cup cold water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) pork loin
1/4 cup ground coffee beans
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
3 whole star anise 1 (1/2-inch)
piece cinnamon stick broken into small pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

For the sauce:
1/2 pound bacon, diced
2 cups demi-glace or 1 package demi-glace mix dissolved in 1 cup water
1 cup red wine
1 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1 cup cola

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

For the pork loin:
Combine 1 cup of warm water with the vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Transfer to a large resealable gallon-sized plastic bag. Add 1 cup of cold water and the pork loin, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
Pulse the coffee, brown sugar, peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon stick in a coffee or spice grinder until they become a fine powder. Remove the pork loin from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub with the spice mix, transfer the pork to a baking sheet and set it aside at room temperature.
In a large skillet melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork loin and brown for 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and roast until the temperature reads 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Remove the roast from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove any excess fat from the pan and add the demi-glace, red wine, cola, pineapple juice and pineapple tidbits. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. Slice the pork loin and serve with the sauce on the side.

Spicy Smoky Cauliflower Mash

4 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 large head)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1/2 lime)

1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Steam the cauliflower in a steamer insert set over boiling water, covered, until it is very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the steamed cauliflower to a blender and puree with the cheese, milk, sour cream and lime juice until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary. Add the adobo sauce and salt and pepper to taste, pulse a couple more times and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

String Beans in Vinaigrette

5 cups water

1/4 pound string beans, ends snipped

1 medium shallot, halved and finely chopped

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Place 5 cups of water to boil with salt, once the water has reached a rolling boil, remove from the heat and add the string beans to the water for about 5 minutes. Strain the string beans through a colander and run under cold water.
In a large bowl, whisk the shallots, mustard and vinegar together. Add the string beans and some salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature, drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil, if you like.