Now that folks are back in cooking mode, it seems recipes have either turned up missing or the restaurants that served favorite foods are down for the count. As a result, people are looking for old favorites.
But before we launch into lost and found, applause is due Denver’s Paul Heitzenrater, who won Sunset magazine’s “Best of the West” 2006 recipe competition, in the grilled-entree category, with his marinated grilled pork tenderloin in pumpkin seed sauce.
If you have the October issue you can read all about it. Heitzenrater, a recreational therapist at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, is also a passionate cook.
“I grew up in the kitchens of my grandmothers and mother, who taught me that preparing food is a way to express love and caring for others,” he says.
And now, onward.
Brenda recalls The Plankhouse near Centennial’s Southglenn Mall that served a side dish called Grecian Artichoke Hearts served in a sizzling skillet with Parmesan cheese.
Meanwhile Judy found a recipe she thinks will fill the bill for Susan, who wanted a muffin that included sour cream and orange.
That’s it for now. Have fun, bon appetit.
Marmalade Mogul Muffins
Judy plucked this recipe from a mystery by one of her favorite writers, Diane Mott Davidson of Evergreen. The muffins take their name from the fact that the story takes place on a Colorado ski mountain. Makes 28 muffins.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided use
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons orange zest, minced
1 cup bitter orange marmalade (recommended: Harry & David Wild & Rare Bitter Orange Marmalade)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixer bowl, beat butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add buttermilk and mix thoroughly.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. The batter will be stiff. Stir in zest and marmalade. Using a 1/3-cup measure, divide batter among 28 muffin cups with paper liners. Using the last 1/4 cup of sugar, sprinkle a teaspoon or so over each muffin.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin Sauce
Paul Heitzenrater won Sunset magazine’s “Best of the West” 2006 grilled entree category with this recipe. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce (use less if you prefer less heat)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
2 pounds pork tenderloin
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil
Directions
In a small bowl, combine chiles and sauce, orange juice and sugar. Put pork in a baking dish and add marinade, turning pork to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375. Toast pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet until they pop and are just starting to brown, 7-11 minutes. Let cool. In a food processor, reduce 1/2 cup seeds to a paste.
On a medium-high grill, grill pork turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center reads 160, about 10 minutes per side. Rest pork 10-15 minutes. Reserve juices.
Meanwhile, in a medium pan over medium heat, combine pumpkin seed paste, cream, garlic, chile powder and salt. Cook, whisking until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in reserved pork juices.
Slice pork into 1/2-inch thick medallions. Drizzle with sauce and pumpkin seed oil and garnish with remaining 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds.
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-954-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
