Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with Morel Mushrooms

What do you get when you combine the flavors of bacon, creme fraiche, wild morel mushrooms, pork loin, garlic and white wine? Pure perfection . Our local CSA had wild morel mushrooms available this week and I had the perfect recipe to go with them in the cookbook A Platter of Figs by chef David Tanis. It was pure perfection- did I mention that already? Originally the recipe called for veal, but since we don't eat veal, I decided to substitute a pork loin instead and it worked out beautifully. The finished dish was not only beautiful on the plate, but one bite and I was completely done for. The earthiness of the morels swimming in the cream sauce was the perfect compliment to the tender pork and slightly salty bacon. This is one recipe I know we'll definitely be making again real soon.


Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with Morel Mushrooms (serves 4)
1 pork loin
salt, pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, sliced
a few rosemary and thyme sprigs
4-5 slices thinly sliced pancetta or bacon
1/2 lb. morel mushrooms
2 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 c. white wine
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

Season the loin with salt and pepper. Make shallow slits into the loin and insert the garlic slices into the meat. Roughly chop the rosemary and thyme sprigs and press them onto the pork loin. Wrap the pancetta or bacon strips around the loin and place in a pan. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Bring the meat to room temperature, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the pork for 30-45 minutes, until the internal temperature is at least 150 degrees but not more than 160 degrees. Let the meat rest, loosely covered for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork loin is cooking, prepare the sauce. Over high heat, reduce the stock by half to yield one cup. Set aside. Swish the mushrooms quickly in a large bowl of salted water, then lift them out and pat dry. Trim and discard tough stems. Coarsely chop the morels, or if they're small, cut them in half.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Slowly saute the shallots in the butter, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stew the mushrooms with the shallots for a minute or two, then add the reduced stock and white wine. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.
When the pork loin is out of the oven and resting, pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Add to the morels and stock. Stir in the creme fraiche and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes more.
Slice the meat, arrange on a platter and spoon over the mushroom sauce. Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini

This is one of my family's all time favorites- we just adore this and I've made many variations of the basic recipe. I first saw this recipe in the cookbook Chocolate and Zucchini- Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen by Clotilde Dusoulier. Her recipe is vegetarian, but I found that adding a sausage that's been taken out of the casing and sauteed before adding the rest of the filling ingredients seems to suit my families taste. I've stuffed it with bulgur wheat, brown rice, cooked orzo, quinoa... depending on my mood and what's leftover in the refrigerator. No matter how many zucchini we happen to make, it never seems like enough because we devour it all in 10 seconds flat (well, not really, but you get the picture)!

Stuffed Zucchini (serves 4 as a light main course)
extra virgin olive oil
4-6 zucchini cut in half and scooped out with a small melon baller or tsp. spoon- reserve zucchini flesh
salt, pepper to taste
1 cup cooked bulgur, orzo, rice, or quinoa
1/8 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 sausage removed from the casing
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
several sprigs of mint, chiffonade

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a casserole dish with olive oil. After you've washed, halved and scooped out the flesh of the zucchini, place in dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly softened but still holding their shape. Chop the flesh and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat and saute the sausage until cooked through. Remove and chop coarsely. In the sausage oil, heat the chopped zucchini flesh, onions, salt, pepper, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, grain of choice and pine nuts until softened and heated through. Add the sausage bits and stir together. Remove from heat and add goat cheese and chopped mint, stirring until blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Stuff the zucchini shells with the warm filling and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes more until heated through and serve immediately.

Orange and Basil Mussels

What to make for dinner on a weeknight that's quick but a little more special than chicken? Orange and Basil Mussels, of course!
Mussels in a white wine and garlic broth are delicious and standard fare on many restaurant menus, and I often order them as a main dish (they're usually listed in the appetizer section) to go along with a nice salad. While I was flipping through Sunset Magazine, I came across this quick recipe for mussels prepared in a way I've never seen or tasted before. Mussels with Orange and Basil. hmmmmmm- it sounded like the combination would go great together, and with the sweetness of the orange I had a feeling it would be a hit with the girls. Noelle enjoys mussels and will eat a couple from my dish when I order them (our favorite is the Baked Green Leaf Mussels at Mio Sushi), but Sophie had never tried mussels before. I like to encourage my girls to try new things, so this recipe sounded perfect... and it was. In the words of Sophie who enjoyed a second helping, "They're divine!"

Orange and Basil Mussels (serves 4)
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 c. dry white wine
3/4 c. cup orange juice
1/2 c. canned diced tomatoes
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 lbs. of mussels
1/3 c. fresh basil, chiffonade
1 loaf of crusty bread

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the garlic cloves and heat until fragrant. Add the wine, orange juice, diced tomatoes, salt and both peppers; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels in shells, cover and cook until mussels open (about 5-8 minutes). Remove from heat and sprinkle with basil. Serve mussels with a generous amount of liquid and bread for dipping.