Through the news feed of Facebook, I know things on a daily basis
that I would never otherwise know about my friends’ lives. Some of these revelations are amusing, or
touching, or informative. And while I
have heard arguments against the constant online chatter, saying that it stops
us from interacting personally with people, I would like to make the opposite
argument. It has brought me closer to
friends by the ability to share in their normal everyday lives, in a way that
only neighbors or close friends would be able to share. I give you a for instance: My sister-in-law is a good cook. Occasionally she posts what she is making for
dinner and I get to enjoy that meal vicariously because she posts the
ingredients and the family reactions.
Even her next-door neighbors probably don’t know what she is having for
dinner as often as her Facebook friends do!
The other night, she mentioned her dinner plan, and, as luck would have
it, I had all the main ingredients in my refrigerator so she also shared the
recipe. Aside from the addition of
mushrooms and fewer tomatoes, this is her meal, a family favorite, by all
accounts. And we loved it! Thanks, Lyn! (And thanks, Facebook.)
1 large onion or 2 shallots
500g or a little more than 1 pound potatoes
Olive oil
4 x 90 g or 3 oz pork loin medallions
100g or 3 1/2 oz cherry tomatoes
200g or 7 oz button mushrooms
Handful fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs
100ml or a little more than 1/3 cup wine (should be white, but I only had red - didn't matter in the slightest)
100ml or a little more than 1/3 cup stock
100g or 3 1/2 oz feta, crumbled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt
Black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220°C or 430°F.
Season the pork with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice your potatoes and onions. (If you have new potatoes, just give them a
scrub and no need to peel.)
Cut smaller mushrooms in half and bigger ones in quarters.
Place the onion and potatoes slices in a roasting tin, pour over
some olive oil and lots of salt and pepper, and then toss to coat.
Roast in the hot oven for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over high
heat and brown the pork loin chops for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove the pork to a plate.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and thyme leaves over the
potato and return to the oven for 10 minutes more.
Lay the pork on top and pour over the wine and stock.
 |
| Half stock, half wine. |
Roast further until the pork is cooked and the vegetables are
tender.
Serve scattered with the feta, lemon zest and another good
drizzle of olive oil.
