Orange Glazed Pork and Rice Pilaf

Tonight I made two recipes from Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, Orange-Glazed Pork and Rice Pilaf. I took quite a bit of license with the pork recipe and totally failed on the rice because I kept the heat too high. Bummer.

The orange pork called for pork tenderloin, which is a cut of meat that I love. Unfortunately, all I had were thin pork chops. Cooking pork tenderloin is vastly different, so I skipped an entire part of the process. The recipe says to sear the meat on both sides in a frying pan of hot oil and then to put the meat and the glaze in the oven to finish cooking.

Instead, I seared the meat on both sides, over med-high heat, then added the glaze, and cooked it on low for just a few minutes. The glaze calls for freshly chopped ginger and garlic. I used powdered ginger and fresh garlic. I chopped the garlic into small pieces because that was the wording in the recipe. Next time I would chop that garlic as small as I could get it or use refrigerated minced garlic that comes in a jar. I just cannot stand seeing garlic in the food I eat-yuck. The ground cayenne pepper was given a range instead of a definite measurement. I used a little less than the bottom measure, and it was still spicy. However, it was not too spicy for me or the kids. All in all, the glaze was incredibly flavorful.

The rice pilaf calls for a cauliflower puree to add creaminess without calories and fat. In order to accommodate a full head of fresh cauliflower, I used both the glass dish and the steamer bag. Again, the steamer bag provided better results. I fit 3/4 of a head of cauliflower in one bag. The full head yielded 4-1/2 cup servings. There was very little salt and pepper called for in the rice, so I would add more before serving.

Orange-Glazed Pork, p 84

(This is the recipe with my changes added)

GLAZE
3 T orange marmalade (when am I going to use this again?)
1/2 c water
1/2 c carrot puree
1 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 t ground ginger
2 t apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cayenne

PORK
4 pork cutlets
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 T grapeseed oil

1. In a small saucepan, whisk all ingredients for the glaze until smooth. Warm the glaze over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Cook 10-15 minutes more, until the liquid is reduced by one quarter and the glaze thickens.
2.Meanwhile, sprinkle the pork cutlets with salt and pepper. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over high heat. Carefully add the pork and cook for 2 minutes per side, turning once until both sides are brown.
3. Off the heat, add the glaze to the skillet. Turn the pork once to coat in the glaze. Return the skillet to low heat and cook for a few more minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook the pork, check often, so that your meat will remain moist. Remove the pork to a cutting board and stir the glaze until smooth. Slice the pork and serve with the glaze.

Rice Pilaf, p 113

2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c cauliflower puree
1 t grapeseed oil 1-1/2 c chicken broth
1 c rice 1/4 t salt

1. In a large saucepan, saute the garlic in the grapeseed oil until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. Add the uncooked rice and toss to coat, approximately 30 seconds.
2. Add the cauliflower puree, chicken broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook with the lid tightly in place approximately 45 minutes. DO NOT STIR when it is done.
3. Take the rice off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

The original recipe says to turn down the heat on the rice to a simmer. For those of us who haven't been to culinary school, that's not very precise. Or, she says, cook it until it is tender. I'm not sure how to tell that with the lid tightly down and without letting the steam out. Please post any helpful comments on how to figure this out! While I totally failed on this rice, I will try both of these recipes again, using a piece of tenderloin and keeping the rice on low heat. I served this with green peas and a salad for myself. In an attempt to help the rice, I added some glaze to the rice. It didn't help, but does spread the color around the plate, I guess.