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A Battle Of The Pork Loins In Apollo Beach

Photo by LYNN KESSEL

A green tomato adds a surprising bright, citrus flavor to this Italian vegetable medley of zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and peppers. Sauteed in Marsala and Burgundy wines, the dish can be served in a variety of ways — as a side, mixed with pasta, or stacked on top of Parmesan pork tender loins, like the winning culinary team from East Bay High School did at the Apollo Beach Manatee Arts Festival.

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By LYNN KESSEL

Tribune Columnist

Published: March 25, 2009

APOLLO BEACH - One thing's for sure. Home economics class isn't like it used to be — not even close.

On March 14, I helped judge the Culinary Arts Competition at the annual Apollo Beach Manatee Arts Festival, where cooking is serious business for our next generation of culinary professionals.

The a-la-"Iron Chef" event pitted students from three Hillsborough County high schools against each other — without all the campy, samurai antics of a kitchen stadium. The featured ingredient was pork loin.

What pressure, I thought, creating a three-course meal in a makeshift kitchen in front of a live audience, roving judges and photographers. It was a one-hour frenzy of slicing, whisking, peeling and reducing.

I'd be sweating it — big time.

But the jacketed young chefs bustled about, confidently demonstrating their knife skills, teamwork and cleanliness. With 20 minutes left on the clock, the team from Sickles High School started to feel the stress. Their Tuscan stuffed pork loin hadn't even reached the frying pan.

The students' recipes were so much more challenging than the popovers and pancakes I learned to make in Mrs. Erickson's fourth-period home economics class.

Uncontrollable fits of giggling and eye rolling are what I remember most about those classes. The only seriousness I recall was my team's reputation as serious troublemakers. Once, we flipped pancakes into the air to see who could get theirs to stick between the slats of the ceiling light fixture — when Mrs. Erickson's back was turned, of course.

But back to the competition.

My judging companions were Chris Bodensky, executive chef of Circles Waterfront Restaurant; Chip Buck, food service director for South Bay Hospital; and Jay Minzer, owner of Grateful Catering. The four of us independently evaluated the talented chefs-to-be.

Ultimately, Team East Bay's cuisine reigned supreme. It included Venice Parmesan pork tenderloins, grape-poached pear with homemade strawberry ice cream and sauce, and an Italian green tomato medley. East Bay also received the People's Choice Award from a panel of four audience members.

Cranberry-orange glazed pork loin on top of a sweet potato mash that had a nice cayenne pepper kick and a chocolate mousse were prepared by Team Riverview, which took second. Third place went to Team Sickles, which prepared an impressive Tuscan stuffed pork loin, stuffed soft-shell crab and a lime mousse with orange gaulette, raspberries, mango and blood-orange syrup. Man, was that ever good!

All I can say is, "I love my job."

Of all the dishes, the Italian green tomato medley was my "I'd-make-this-at-home" recipe. And I did — a couple of days later — to test it out before sharing with you. This side dish was served plated on top of the pork loins, but I served mine with pasta. It was delicious.

ITALIAN GREEN TOMATO MEDLEY<\b>

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup Vidalia onion, diced

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup shallot, diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

2/3 cup Marsala wine

1 cup Burgundy wine

2 basil leaves

3 oregano stems

4 thyme stems

1 dill stem

1/3 cup yellow pepper, julienned

1/3 cup red pepper, julienned

1 large green tomato, sliced

2 medium yellow squash, sliced

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Dice onions, garlic and shallots. Add to pan and cook until they become translucent. Add Marsala and Burgundy wines, chopped basil, oregano, thyme and dill. Bring to a boil. Reduce wine by 50 percent and reduce heat to a mild simmer. Add green tomato and cook until tender but firm. Then add squash, zucchini and mushrooms to pan and cook until soft. Salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Lynn Kessel can be reached at lkessel@mac.com. For more of her recipes, visit southshore.tbo.com and enter the search words: Lynn Kessel. Readers are encouraged to send in their favorite recipes, comments and suggestions.

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TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

strawberry ice cream • homemade strawberry ice • food service director • home economics class • stuffed pork loin • ceiling light fixture • talented chefs • apollo beach • kitchen stadium • minzer • pork tenderloins • arts competition • popovers • waterfront restaurant • culinary professionals • fourth period • iron chef • slats • executive chef • serious business

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