Serve this savory shortcake warm or at room temperature with classic barbecue chicken, smokey ribs, or pulled pork. (The Runaway Spoon)

Vidalia onion shortcake

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / 06.10.13

Here is a classic old recipe I have had to reconstruct from memory. I can’t remember where I first had it, but it definitely stuck with me. It’s the kind of dish that you ask the recipe for as soon as you eat it and the cook rattles it off from memory, but you never manage to actually jot down what she says. I searched online, but most of the recipes I found for onion shortcake used packaged corn muffin mix, which is not what I remember at all.

This is what I remember — a soft biscuit base with a creamy onion custard on top. I added thyme, because I think it goes so wonderfully well with sweet onions. And when Vidalia onions are in season, I use them in every way I can. Serve wedges of this with a saucy barbecue meal, I particularly like it with a sticky, burnished chicken.

Vidalia onion shortcake
Serves 8

2 tablespoons oil

1 large Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion)

1 bunch fresh thyme leaves

Salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1. Thinly slice the onions into half-moons. I like to do this quickly on a mandolin. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and the leaves from 3 or 4 thyme sprigs and salt. Stir to coat the onions. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramel brown, being careful not to scorch the onions. Leave the onions to cool slightly.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan or similar baking dish.

3. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the leaves from 2–3 thyme sprigs in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Drop in the butter cubes and pulse several times until the mixture is grainy. Pinch a bit of the flour between your fingers and it should stick together. Dump in the buttermilk, then process until everything is combined. It will be a wet dough that won’t come together in a ball.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and press it out to fill the dish. Wet your fingers to help keep the dough from sticking to them.

5. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and egg. Add the leaves from a few more sprigs of thyme and a few good grindings of pepper. Stir on the onions, making sure the mixture is evenly combined. Pour the mixture over the base in the baking dish and spread it out to cover the top.

6. Bake the shortcake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are browned and pull slightly away from the edges of the pan. The sour cream filling should be set and browned. Serve the shortcake warm or a room temperature.

A simple meal is pinto beans over rice (or roasted potatoes or corn bread) with condiments such as, shredded cheese and cabbage, salsa, finely chopped onions and peppers, chopped kale, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips, sometimes a fried egg. (In Praise of Leftovers)

Cooking a pot of beans

By Sarah Murphy-Kangas, In Praise of Leftovers / 06.09.13

Recently I sat in my spiritual director's office and cried for an hour.

I told her I'd been wanting to cry about the devastation in Oklahoma, and then the I-5 bridge in Washington collapsed. Yancey and I both cross that bridge several times a week, and we'd been on it the day before. 

I won't be scared to cross bridges in the future or scared to drive. But I am thinking about the fragility and unpredictability of life. I'm thinking about the illusion of control I love to nurture and how much comfort I take in my plans. 

And then I hear Jack Kornfield saying:

"The unawakened mind tends to make war against the way things are."

Things are messy, unclear, unfair. They're unpredictable and often beautiful. Things are sad, violent, and hard. They're also heartbreakingly tender and full of possibility. And the challenge for all of us (especially for my orderly self) is to accept what is. Our home has not been devastated by a tornado, but our commutes to work south of us may be increased by several hours a day for a year until the bridge gets fixed. My spiritual director said, "What if you think of the bridge collapse as the collapse of your ideas about God and yourself that aren't working for you anymore?" 

I've found I haven't had bandwidth this week for much beyond daily tasks and feeling sad. I haven't felt motivated to blow through my to-do list or start anything new. Instinctively, I knew this week was a "pot of beans" week. When I dumped the pinto beans into a bowl to soak, just the sound of them falling out of the jar was comforting. I know exactly what to do with them, I know my family will be nourished for days, and I know we'll be able to devote our energies to things other than cooking for awhile.

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know my attachment to dried beans. I'm a huge fan and seem to have endless energy for cooking them and advocating for them. I always come across folks who need an introduction, though. They've never cooked them before and are unsure how those hard little legumes become soft and flavorful. So I thought I'd stop saying, "Oh, just soak 'em and boil 'em" and give a little more instruction. (I love you "measure-twice-cut-once" folks. I'm not one of you.)

The most common way my family eats beans is pinto beans over rice (or roasted potatoes or corn bread) with condiments – shredded cheese and cabbage, salsa, finely chopped onions and peppers, chopped kale, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips, sometimes a fried egg. I set all the condiments in the middle of the table, and we each do it our own way. Wyatt mixes his rice and beans together, then adds salsa and sometimes cheese. Loretta keeps her rice and beans separate and puts hoisin sauce on her rice. Yancey and I take a lot of vegetables and keep the whole bowl layered. And we'll eat this for several nights in a row until the beans are gone. My kids have never tired of it.

Pot of Beans
This "recipe" is from Mark Bittman. Since I've never followed any instructions for cooking beans, I didn't trust myself to describe it properly! He gives lots of options for soaking or not soaking, which is the biggest question people seem to have. The reason for soaking is simply to decrease the cooking time. I do it when I've thought ahead. When I haven't thought ahead, I don't soak. Some people say it decreases the flatulence factor of beans, though I can't say I've found that to be true. If your tummy has trouble with beans, there are at least three remedies. The first is, don't undercook your beans! They won't taste good and they'll be hard for your body to digest. The second is to eat beans more often. Your body will get used to digesting them. And the third is to take an enzyme like Beano.

If you buy your beans in bulk at a co-op or other place where they have high turnover in their dry goods, they will be fresher and will cook more quickly. If you buy them in prepackaged and labeled bags at the grocery store, they will likely be older and take longer to cook. They don't go bad or taste worse – they are just more hard.

1 pound dried beans, washed and picked over (any kind but lentils, split peas, or peeled and split beans)
Water, salt, and pepper

Soaking: You can soak your beans overnight if you think of it. Or "quick soak" them by putting the beans in a large pot and covering them with a couple inches of cold water. Bring the beans to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let them soak for 1-2 hours. Or you can not soak them at all. They'll take a bit longer to cook.

Cooking. If you've soaked your beans, drain them, and cover again with 2 inches of cold water. Bring the pot to a boil, then adjust the heat so the beans bubble gently. Partially cover and cook, stirring every now and then, checking the beans for doneness every 20 minutes or so, and adding more water as necessary. Small beans might take as little as 30 minutes and older, larger beans up to 90 minutes. 

Seasoning. Add salt and pepper when the beans are just turning tender. Stop cooking when the beans are done the way you like them and taste and adjust the seasoning.

Storing. Here you have a few options. Drain the beans (reserving the liquid separately) to use them as ingredients or salads or other dishes where they need to be dry. Or finish them with one of the ideas below. Or store the beans as is and use with or without the liquid as needed. They will keep in the fridge for days and in the freezer for months.

Adding Flavor. You can add a bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme sprigs, parsley leaves and stems, chili powder, or other herbs and spices. You can sauté chopped onion, carrot, celery or garlic until soft and fragrant and add them in. Or cook your beans with a ham hock, pork chop, beef bone, or sausage. Fish it out after cooking, chop up the meat, and stir it back into the beans.

The perfect oatmeal raisin cookie is moist with crispy edges. (In Praise of Leftovers)

The perfect oatmeal cookie

By Sarah Murphy-Kangas, In Praise of Leftovers / 06.08.13

I have finally found it – the perfect, crave-it oatmeal raisin cookie. Chewy, moist, crispy around the edges. Thanks to Alice Medrich, of course. And thanks to the continuing inspiration of my big, fat cookie jar from the antique mall. It really looks forlorn when it's empty.

For his birthday, I gave my father-in-law a jar of these and told him I'd refill the jar indefinitely with whatever he wanted. I gave him lots of choices this time around – brown butter snickerdoodles, molasses, salted chocolate. But he said he wanted oatmeal raisin again. This time, I was smart and made a double batch.

My friend Emily was supposed to come up last weekend. We've been planning it for a long time and had characteristically assembled little collections of gifts and hand-me-downs to exchange. We'd been sending anticipation texts, and Loretta spruced up her room. (That's where Emily sleeps when she comes.) But it didn't work out. We are both sad, but it was the right thing. And the silver lining, as I told her, was that I still felt like she was here and that my regular life was on hold. I didn't check e-mail. I played lots of card games with Wyatt. We went to the farmers market, the Ski to Sea parade, and the street fair. I made pancakes twice for the kids and am halfway through two new books. I sorted my craft supplies, slept in, made and photographed these cookies, and put off folding the laundry. Yancey and I managed a last-minute afternoon date and I exercised every day. In short, just what I needed.

I hope you're able to find some time like that soon. You might even find yourself reaching for your mixing bowls.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
As with many of Alice's recipes, you've got to think ahead with these so you can refrigerate the dough. It helps the oats soak up the butter and makes all the difference. I doubled the batch and did half dark raisins and half golden raisins. You could also add nuts, other dried fruit, or a bit of flaked salt on top. Yum.

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup water

1-1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup raisins

1. Place the oats in a small bowl and sprinkle with water. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.

2. Cut the butter into chunks and melt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugars, vanilla, and salt. Add the egg and stir briskly. Stir in the flour mixture just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the raisins and oats. Let the dough sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

4. For large cookies, scoop about 2 level tablespoons of dough and place the cookies about 3 inches apart on the lined pans. For small cookies scoop 1 level tablespoon of dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes for large cookies and 10-12 minutes for small ones, or until the cookies are just barely golden on top and they still look a tad undone. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time.

5. Cool the cookies completely before storing or stacking. 

June 7 is National Doughnut Day. Go get your free doughnut! (Mary Knox Merrill/Staff)

National Doughnut Day: Who has the free doughnuts? (+video)

By Ben Frederick, Contributor / 06.07.13

Some national holidays hold annual traditions for quiet reflection and gratitude among friends and family. Other holidays celebrate mindless consumerism, and capitalize on our desire for all things free: June 7 is National Doughnut Day! Can you believe it's already been a year?

Despite the maturity and poise each new year brings, we can't help feeling a certain exuberant delight that comes with the first Friday in June.

National Doughnut Day 2013 

So here are the deals:

Dunkin Donuts is offering a free doughnut with the purchase of any beverage.

Krispy Kreme, in classic corporate undercutting fashion, is offering a free doughnut, no purchase necessary.

If you haven't fled your computer to get to your nearest doughnut shop, have you ever wondered why doughnuts have holes in them? Anecdotal evidence relating to the creation of the doughnut's now-famous shape points to one Capt. Hanson Gregory, a Maine native.

By all accounts, Captain Gregory was a salty old salt with a nose for innovation and a hankering for fried dough on the stormy seas. Cutting a hole in the center of the traditionally whole dough meant the tasty cakes would be evenly cooked, more easily dunk-able, and (as one legend has it) would fit on the spokes of his ship’s wheel.

Some people say that each year, on National Doughnut Day's Eve, Captain Gregory visits the cubicles of good office workers and puts doughnuts in their loafers. (OK, we made that up. But we wish it were true.)

Whether or not he actually made the holes in doughnuts, he certainly capitalized on the press, and has since been immortalized by a plaque in Rockport, Maine.

Whatever you believe, the hole remains and, through some doughnut magic, it reduces the calories in the doughnut. (OK, we made that up, too. But you wish it were true.)

National Doughnut Day is generally billed as a showdown between corporate giants Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme. However, National Doughnut Day was actually established by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor a tradition that began in World War I: doughnuts served to homesick soldiers by female volunteers known as "lassies."

That’s right, 75 years ago eating doughnuts was firmly declared a patriotic act. Purely for love of country those young men fought fascism and ate fried dough as though there were no tomorrow. But tomorrow is here, and it’s brought with it the highest symbol of freedom: free doughnuts. We must do our part!

And if you are now madly searching the Web to find your closest doughnut, it's likely you are a woman looking for a Dunkin' Donuts store. We didn't make that up. According to Yahoo analytics, Dunkin' Donuts is searched three times more than Krispy Kreme on their site, with the majority of those who searched for Dunkin' Donuts being women.

This makes sense historically, because in the 1934 movie "It Happened One Night" Clark Gable teaches Claudette Colbert how to dunk a doughnut. As everyone knows, when a guy teaches a girl how to do something in a movie they're bound to fall in love at some point. And everyone also knows that when beautiful people in the movies do it, we do it, too.

So go get your free doughnut.

Strawberry mint vinaigrette combines the best flavors of the season for refreshing salad dressing. (The Runaway Spoon)

Strawberry mint vinaigrette

By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon / 06.05.13

It’s always nice to whip up a simple, homemade dressing for a salad, and this one is really special. A little sweet from the berries with the nice summery hit of mint. And it’s a great way to use up some berries lingering in the fridge. 

I love it on a salad of fresh butter lettuce tossed with slice strawberries, salty feta or goat cheese, and crunchy pecans. It also goes well with spinach, and is a nice dressing for a fruit salad, too.

Strawberry mint vinaigrette

Makes about 2 cups

8 ounces hulled strawberries

1 small shallot, peeled and quartered

6-7 fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup white wine or champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Place everything but the oil in the carafe of a blender and blend until completely smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until you have a nice, emulsified dressing.  Store the vinaigrette in a jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to three days in the fridge.  Shake well before using

A blend of spices flavor these chickpeas and sour cream creates a sauce. (The Gourmand Mom)

Indian chickpeas and mango lassis

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom / 06.04.13

We spent last weekend at a rental house in the Catskill mountains with some friends from college and a few of their close friends. Ten adults. Eight little boys ages 6 month to 6 years. An endless supply of good food. Late nights and early mornings. Amazing fun.

The weather was cold and rainy, but the house was well equipped to keep everyone occupied. We played air hockey and foosball and pool and Settlers of Catan. The kids got lessons in backgammon, dominoes, and the card game, war. On the warmest day, we played bubbles and hopscotch. The kids enjoyed the large outdoor play set and playing T-ball in the yard, which was much more a practice in turn-taking than anything else. There were nature walks, a close call with a tick, and a perfectly freaky encounter with a snake. The jacuzzi went largely unused and the karaoke machine went completely neglected.

Each of the five families prepared a meal during our weekend stay. We ate tender slow-cooked BBQ pork with grilled sweet corn, homemade waffles with ripe strawberries and fresh whipped cream (the sweet result of a multi-person hand-whipping effort), an assortment of four types of bacon, cinnamon roll french toast bake, cheddar garlic biscuits, scrambled eggs with applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, and Gruyère, and a taco spread that would make any mouth water. (The lime marinated skirt steak won my heart.)

And though the food was amazing, the home more than comfortable, and the entertainment plentiful, the best part of the weekend, by far, was the people. Over the course of three days, 18 of us lived together, laughing and connecting, enjoying old friendships and beginning new ones.

Likewise, it was the people who made our recent "Temple Run" birthday party such a grand success – the friends and family who traveled from out of town to celebrate with us, the ones who came early to help set up, my brother who chased 20 or so small children through the "Temple Run" obstacle course in a hot gorilla suit, the guests who repeatedly helped me to repair the course with packaging tape every time one of our small runners plowed through the perimeter, and our fun and social guests. The food and the decorations and the theme all set the stage, but the people made the party.

Thankfully, I had help from a friend when it came to our Indian-themed menu. I’m no stranger to Googling recipes when I’m looking to cook something new, (like a full buffet of Indian food) but this time I also had the benefit of an old teaching buddy of mine, who kindly shared the recipe for one of her mom’s signature dishes with me – a dish she fondly recalls from her childhood, as being served with pooris on special occasions and when entertaining visiting family from India.

Like many familiar family recipes, which are passed on through generations, this recipe is often cooked more by taste than by exact measure. And since I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting the original recipe, I had to use a bit of guesswork and personal guidance from my own taste buds when determining the measurements for most of the spices in this dish. My version of this tasty recipe may not be exactly like my friend’s familiar family favorite, but these savory chickpeas certainly made a delicious addition to our party menu!

Indian chickpeas
Adapted from a recipe by Rekha Antani

3 cans chickpeas

1 medium onion, coarse chopped

3 vine-ripened tomatoes, coarse chopped

3 cloves of garlic

1/2-inch segment of ginger, peeled

3/4 teaspoon mustard Seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3/4  teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of cloves

3 whole cardamoms

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon coriander powder

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons powdered cashews (optional)*

1. Drain chick peas, reserving the liquid for later. 

2. Process the onion, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic in a blender or food processor, until smooth. Combine the mustard seeds, turmeric, chili powder, and cardamoms in a saucepan over medium heat. Immediately add the onion and tomato mixture to the pan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and cumin/coriander powder. Stir well and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add the chickpeas to the mixture, stirring from the bottom. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue simmering, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes, adding some of the reserved liquid, a little at a time, as the liquid reduces. Once it appears that the chickpeas have changed color by absorbing the spices, lower the heat.

4. Take about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid in the pan and mix it with the sour cream. Then, add the sour cream mixture to the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes more at a medium/low heat, until it begins to bubble and thicken. Add the powdered cashews, if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

*I omitted the powdered cashews in my preparation due to children with nut allergies at our party.

**The original recipe also calls for an unspecified quantity of a spice called hing or asafoetida, which was not available in my well-stocked grocery store. It would likely be available in an Indian grocery store.

Mango lassi (mango and yogurt smoothie)

 2 cups mango nectar

2 cups mango chunks, frozen

3 cups plain yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Honey (optional, to taste)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Adjust sweetness with additional honey, to taste. Sprinkle with a dash of cardamom powder or garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.

When baked, the cake rises to the top of the crock pot, and the 'lava' lurks underneath, making for a simple, rich dessert. (The Pastry Chef's Baking)

Slow cooker chocolate lava cake

By Carol Ramos, The Pastry Chef's Baking / 06.03.13

Ever since I made the crockpot French toast, I've been intrigued by the idea of being able to make desserts in my slow cooker. That opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. I went with this chocolate lava cake from My Recipe Roundup that I found on Pinterest as I'm ever on the lookout for a good lava cake.

This was really more like the black and white pudding cake I'd made before than the traditional lava cake that's usually baked in individual portions with a molten center. The basic principles are the same as the pudding cake: cake batter, sprinkle sugar-cocoa over it, cover with boiling water and let bake. Or slow cook. I've also seen something like this called a chocolate cobbler.

Regardless of what you call it, this was pretty good. The cake baked to rise to the top but when you spoon into it, the "chocolate lava" is lurking just beneath to make a very rich concoction. It's not meant to be neatly served. It's just meant to be homey decadence. Spoon into (small) dessert dishes, be generous with pouring the chocolate lava on top of the cake, and serve warm with ice cream. 

And yes, it is possible to overcook this. If you cook it too long, the cake portion won't be as fluffy and while there's enough "lava" to keep it from being dry, it'll have a more dense texture if left in the slow cooker for too long. This makes a lot of servings so you may want to try it out when you have a large group of people over (and plenty of ice cream on hand).

Slow cooker chocolate lava cake

From My Recipe Roundup

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fudge topping

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups boiling water

1. For the cake: Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla until combined. Spread the batter over the bottom of a large crock pot.

2. For the fudge topping: Mix together the brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle mixture over the cake batter.

3. Pour the boiling water over the top. Do not stir! Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

4. Turn off heat, and remove lid. Let sit 20-30 minutes before serving, so its still warm but won't burn your mouth.

Mediterranean zucchini and white beans mixed with olive oil, lemon, and spiced up with garlic and chili flakes makes a hearty meal for one, or a simple side for two. (Beyond The Peel)

Meatless Monday: Mediterranean zucchini and white beans

By France Morissette and Joshua Sprague, Beyond the Peel / 06.02.13

Here’s a little ditty I highly recommend you try – Mediterranean zucchini and white beans. It’s super easy (especially if you have some white beans made already, but you could use canned on the fly), and tastes amazing in its simplicity. I was excited to find that I still had one zucchini left over from the last time I made this dish. I know what I’ll be having for dinner tonight.

I had this as a main for 1 (a very large main). But it serves nicely as a side dish for 2 or 3 as well. Especially if served with protein like herbed lemon chicken or grilled fish. If you’re serving a group, double accordingly.

Mediterranean zucchini and white beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, sliced in wedges

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small zucchini

1/2 cup cooked white beans

4-6 large olives, pitted

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

1. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions until they begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2. While you’re waiting on the onions and garlic to cook, slice the zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Add to pan and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

4. Chop the olives. Then add the olives and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the pan.

5. Season with chili flakes, salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges for garnish.

Grilling season has begun. The pear stuffing to this pork tenderloin adds a slightly sweet note that plays nicely with the savory flavors. (Blue Kitchen)

Grilled pork tenderloin stuffed with mushrooms and pear

By Terry Boyd / 06.02.13

We’re experiencing the season’s first real bout of don’t-heat-up-the-kitchen weather here in Chicago. So this weekend, I fired up the grill. For my inaugural grilled meat meal of the year, I turned to a recipe inspired by one of our favorite vegetarians. You may remember the recent vegetarian pasta dish based on a side served by our friend Laura. Well, even though she doesn’t eat meat, she knows how to cook it.

Two elemental flavors come together beautifully in this recipe. With two cups of chopped mushrooms, the filling delivers a delicious, earthy taste. And a combination of indirect and direct grilling adds plenty of smokiness to the pork tenderloin.

The pear adds a slightly sweet note that plays nicely with pork. And sage and pork? What’s not to like? Laura didn’t grill her wonderful stuffed tenderloin; she pan seared it, then roasted it in the oven. Many recipes call for this approach – in fact, that had been my plan until temperatures started rising. Either method produces delicious results, but I’m happy with what the smoke brought to the party.

Grilled pork tenderloin stuffed with mushrooms and pear 

Serves 4

6 ounces mushrooms (I used cremini – buttons are also fine)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped (or 1 medium onion and a minced clove of garlic)

1 pear, peeled and diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 generous tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 pork tenderloin, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds

Special equipment: pieces of kitchen twine, soaked in water

1. Slice and/or chop the mushrooms (I bought sliced mushrooms and chopped the larger slices into smaller pieces). You should have a generous two cups of mushrooms when finished.

2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium flame.

3. Add mushrooms, shallot, and pear to skillet and toss to coat with butter and oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid overly browning the shallot.

4. Add sage and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. If you’re working with a charcoal grill (I was), start your coals now and prepare the tenderloin (step 6). When the coals and the meat are both ready, set up your grill for indirect grilling, pouring the coals on one side. If you’re using a gas grill, set it up for indirect grilling (he said, having no idea how you do that).

6. Butterfly the pork tenderloin, slicing it down the middle lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Open the tenderloin like a book on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using the side of a meat mallet or a medium-sized heavy saucepan, pound it until it is about 1/2-inch thick, work from the center to the edges of the tenderloin.

7. Arrange the mushroom filling down the middle of the tenderloin lengthwise, spreading it evenly. Starting with a long side, roll the tenderloin as tightly as possible. Tie it in 4 places with the twine and trim off the loose ends (this will reduce the chance of the twine catching fire on the grill).

8. Brush the tenderloin with oil and season with salt and pepper on all sides.

9. Lightly brush the grill with oil and lay the tenderloin on the side not over the coals.

10. Cover the grill (with vents open) and let it cook for 20 minutes, turning the tenderloin at the halfway mark. Move the tenderloin over the coals and cover the grill. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until an instant read thermometer registers 140 degrees F. when inserted in the center. Transfer to a platter or cutting board and tent with foil. Let the tenderloin rest for about 5 minutes and then slice crosswise into medallions. Serve. (Make sure no one gets a piece of twine.)

Kitchen Notes

As you can see from the photo above, I didn’t achieve the classic spiral of filling. To do so, chop the mushrooms and the pear finer and spread the filling a little thinner on the butterflied tenderloin. Maybe be a little less generous with the filling as well. As it was, I liked the chunkier bits of filling – both their appearance and their individual pops of flavor – as we ate.