Sunday, March 9, 2014

Grilled Pork with Balsamic Reduction & Loaded Mashed Russet Potatoes

Balsamic Vinegar is always great to cook with because it helps to ensure that your pork doesn't turn out tasting too sweet!  Pork is a great meat for sucking up any sort of minor hint of flavor that you add to it!  The variations that you can do with a recipe like this are practically endless and have yet to disappoint in my experience.  

Grilled Balsamic Pork

Ingredients: 
1 Bottle Raspberry Blush Balsamic Vinegar (about 1 Cup, 8.5 oz, 250 ml)
1/2 Cup Peach Preserves (If you want your reduction sauce to be thick, use 1/4 Cup instead)
3 Pork Tenderloins (Thickly Sliced)
Seasoning (Mediterranean Basil, Crushed Rosemary, Alpine Touch)
Dollop of sour cream
Rosemary leaves

Directions: 
Prepare the grill (I used my handy George Foreman Grill).  Bring the Balsamic Vinegar & Peach Preserves to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.  Cook until reduced by half.  While the sauce is reducing, season the pork tenderloins.  Place on the grill.  Cook for about 15 minutes until cooked all the way through.  Remove from the grill.  Cover or keep warm in the microwave.  As soon as the sauce is thoroughly reduced score the meat to ensure the sauce will seep in.  To serve spoon the balsamic reduction over the meat to just cover (or to taste).  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and rosemary leaves on top.  *Do not shy away from the sour cream, it enhances the flavor tremendously and makes the taste sweeter.
*Optional: You may also garnish with a few blackberries or any other kind of fruit

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 Large Russet Potatoes (Peeled & Cubed)
2 Tbsp Butter
1/3 Cup Cream
1/2 Cup Cheese (I used Cheddar/Monterey Jack)
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
Garlic Powder
Basil
Alpine Touch
Leeks
Directions:
Add the potatoes to the pot and cover with water.  Boil until easy to mash and then turn heat down to low.  Mash any lumps out and add the butter and cream and stir in thoroughly   Add all remaining ingredients except the leeks and mix thoroughly.  Serve by topping with snipped leeks and Basil.  Enjoy.

The ingredients for my Balsamic Reduction sauce
Boil the potatoes and the Vinegar & Peach preserves
Season the pork
Place the pork on the grill
Multi-task like a champ :)
Finish boiling the potatoes while continuing to boil the reduction sauce
Mash the potatoes while the sauce is still reducing
Add the butter and cream to the potatoes, continue to boil sauce and grill pork

Add remaining ingredients to the potatoes and finish reducing the sauce
Serve & Enjoy!

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