(The Tucci Cookbook, page 267)
English Roast Potatoes
(The Tucci Table, page 164)
Broccoli Rabe Tucci Style
(The Tucci Cookbook, page 216)
Blondies
(The Tucci Table, page 185)
Perhaps it was overconfidence. Perhaps it was the difficulty of the recipes. Perhaps it was because we had no reference pictures. Perhaps it was because we were cooking for an audience. Whatever it was, the results of this effort were not as we had hoped.
With family both driving and flying in to spend the weekend, it was our plan to present another triumphant meal and showcase our newly-found culinary skills. But even as we began, both of us seemed distracted, and not quite prepared to pull it off.
The preparation of the pork tenderloin required stuffing it with fennel and rosemary, and tying it together into a tubular roast with string.
We seared the tenderloin in a pan to brown it before placing it in the oven to roast for thirty minutes. It looked lovely as we placed it in the oven.
Pork is one of those meats that always intimidated us. The great chefs on television often cook it rare, with a substantial pink center ... but our understanding was that pork required being cooked completely through, and anything pink was a danger sign.
The last thing we wanted to do was give a family member (particularly the in-laws) trichinosis.
Pork is one of those meats that always intimidated us. The great chefs on television often cook it rare, with a substantial pink center ... but our understanding was that pork required being cooked completely through, and anything pink was a danger sign.
The last thing we wanted to do was give a family member (particularly the in-laws) trichinosis.
So when we checked the meat after thirty minutes, and it looked terrific on the outside and gorgeously pink on the inside ... it was probably done and would have been superb.
But those little voices inside our head told us to cook it some more, and by the time we pulled it out for the second time, it was overdone.
But those little voices inside our head told us to cook it some more, and by the time we pulled it out for the second time, it was overdone.
It would have been helpful to have a reference photo or some expert advice in this area, but by this point, it was too late. We were so traumatized that we forgot to pour the sauce over it, which might have helped remedy (or at least cover up) the situation.
We thought about setting a big bottle of ketchup on the table, but why make matters worse? Right?
We thought about setting a big bottle of ketchup on the table, but why make matters worse? Right?
We had similar issues with the broccoli rabe. Its sounds funny, but with no reference pictures, we weren't really sure what parts to keep and what parts to cook. The recipe only had two steps and the description was slightly vague on this matter.
And as we were somewhat distracted by our pork, the rabe over-simmered on the cooktop and became soggy.
And as we were somewhat distracted by our pork, the rabe over-simmered on the cooktop and became soggy.
Broccoli rabe is a difficult dish to prepare, because it is innately bitter. Our only experience with it prior to this was as a garnish. Serving it as a stand-alone side was risky, as it is only through extensive and concentrated preparation that its more subtle flavors are brought out.
The instructions for the english roast potatoes were to 'parboil' them, but not overcook them. Tucci described being able to 'score' the potatoes with a fork, which we attempted several times. But in any case, they were obviously overcooked for what we were about to do next.
After draining, we were instructed to cover the potatoes and 'shake the hell out of the pan' to break them up slightly. Maybe we took him too literally, because when we removed the lid, we didn't have nicely-shaped pieces with 'fluffed-up outsides' ... we had mashed potatoes.
Tucci did give us a heads-up about overcooking this recipe. He even used the term mush at one point, but with our limited experience, we obviously didn't fully understand what he meant by 'parboil'.
Tucci did give us a heads-up about overcooking this recipe. He even used the term mush at one point, but with our limited experience, we obviously didn't fully understand what he meant by 'parboil'.
We had overcooked the pork. We had overcooked the rabe. We had overcooked the potatoes.
Our final dish for dessert were 'blondies'. Based on the name, we thought they were blond-brownies of some sort. Again, with no photos to reference, once we added the crushed Toblerone candy, the entire thing looked like a sad and sunken (and undercooked) chocolate brownie.
We still aren't sure what they're supposed to look like.
We still aren't sure what they're supposed to look like.
Of course, everything was eaten. Everybody was hungry, and the food was by no means terrible. It was mediocre. It was a failure for us.
On the bright side, we did make some excellent chicken stock for a future recipe!!
We knew there would be hiccups along this journey. Our early successes might have raised our expectations too high and we might have become a bit overconfident. It took an experience like this to make us humble and focus on learning again.
Hopefully, we would be better prepared next time.
After our debacle, we did some additional research to determine the legitimacy of our concerns about undercooked pork. Not surprisingly, there were a number of helpful articles discussing this.
Bon Appétit magazine explained that for many years, the accepted temperature for cooking pork (determined by the USDA) was a minimum of 160 degrees. However, many high-end restaurants had been cooking their pork to an internal temperature much lower than that.
ADDENDUM
After our debacle, we did some additional research to determine the legitimacy of our concerns about undercooked pork. Not surprisingly, there were a number of helpful articles discussing this.
Bon Appétit magazine explained that for many years, the accepted temperature for cooking pork (determined by the USDA) was a minimum of 160 degrees. However, many high-end restaurants had been cooking their pork to an internal temperature much lower than that.
In 2011, the USDA changed the standard to 145 degrees as a result of ongoing research by the CDC (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention). In the past five years, there had only been 84 cases of trichinosis in the United States, and 22 of them stemmed from eating undercooked pork. The USDA statement concluded that pork-borne trichinella had become virtually extinct in most of the developed world and that the risk of it in this country was near zero.
The Tucci Cookbook recommends that the internal temperature of the pork tenderloin should be 155 degrees (we cooked our pork beyond 160 degrees out of an abundance of caution). Had we pulled the pork when we first checked it, the meat would have been very safe to eat ... and far more tender and delicious!
Another lesson in the art of cooking!!
Now, if we could only learn how to 'parboil' potatoes ...
Next Chapter: In The SoupThe Tucci Cookbook recommends that the internal temperature of the pork tenderloin should be 155 degrees (we cooked our pork beyond 160 degrees out of an abundance of caution). Had we pulled the pork when we first checked it, the meat would have been very safe to eat ... and far more tender and delicious!
Another lesson in the art of cooking!!
Now, if we could only learn how to 'parboil' potatoes ...