I have a wife and two children but I occasionally eat like a widower. Last night Santa Maria had dinner in Manhattan before coming home from work. The children had been fed canned lentil soup by our babysitter, and were in bed. I found myself staring down steamed broccoli, a couple of slices of roasted pork, and a side of pasta with puttenesca.
I’m not sure if what I’ve been doing lately qualifies as cooking, but it has been making my life easier, especially when I need only to think of myself. It’s part cooking ahead, part eating leftovers.
At the start of the week I cook up a slab or two of protein. This week I broiled a pork tenderloin while eating breakfast on Tuesday. Some weeks I’ve poached chicken breasts or pan-fried chicken thighs. Any of these meet my need for a serving of protein with a meal.
For a quick dinner after a long working day, I take some of the meat, combine it with a vegetable and a starch. I know it’s not rocket science and it’s not even a new idea, but it is very gratifying to have dinner ready in about fifteen minutes.
Last night, to go with the pork, I steamed some broccoli and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over it to accompany capellini, the super thin pasta that cooks in minutes, topped by the puttanesca I made the other day for Pinta. She spurned it. I enjoyed it.
My broiled pork recipe is a variation on one I got from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything." It’s a very useful thing to know how to make.
I’m not sure if what I’ve been doing lately qualifies as cooking, but it has been making my life easier, especially when I need only to think of myself. It’s part cooking ahead, part eating leftovers.
At the start of the week I cook up a slab or two of protein. This week I broiled a pork tenderloin while eating breakfast on Tuesday. Some weeks I’ve poached chicken breasts or pan-fried chicken thighs. Any of these meet my need for a serving of protein with a meal.
For a quick dinner after a long working day, I take some of the meat, combine it with a vegetable and a starch. I know it’s not rocket science and it’s not even a new idea, but it is very gratifying to have dinner ready in about fifteen minutes.
Last night, to go with the pork, I steamed some broccoli and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over it to accompany capellini, the super thin pasta that cooks in minutes, topped by the puttanesca I made the other day for Pinta. She spurned it. I enjoyed it.
My broiled pork recipe is a variation on one I got from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything." It’s a very useful thing to know how to make.
Roast Pork Tenderloin
- Olive Oil
- A bit of Garam Masala, about a teaspoon
- A bit of mustard, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb
Turn on the oven’s broiler.
Mix the olive oil and the spices and the mustard in a bowl.
Lay the pork on a roasting sheet and coat with the mixture.
Put the meat under the broiler for about ten minutes a side, until it browns.
Cook it to an internal temperature of about 150 degrees, which will leave a little pink but be safe to eat.
Note: This makes great, low-fat sandwiches when put on bread with caramelized onions.
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