Roast Pork Loin with Garlic and Rosemary

4 garlic cloves, minced
8 sprigs fresh rosemary, approx. 4 t chopped
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
1 to 2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 13x9 roasting pan with foil.

Combine garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over pork and place pork, fat side down, in prepared roasting pan. Roast pork 35-40 minutes, or until thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 155°. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes.

Slice pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange slices on platter. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes. Serves 4.

Polenta with Rosemary and Thyme

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth
1 c cornmeal
3 T butter
1 T each fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat to high, add chicken broth and bring to boil. Gradually add cornmeal while continually whisking. Cover pot and place it in preheated oven. Cook 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent clumping. Once mixture is creamy, remove from oven and add butter, herbs and pepper. Gradually stir in Parmesan and stir well. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

To make Polenta cakes, pour cooked polenta into 9x13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate to cool completely. Once set, turn polenta out onto cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in nonstick skillet over medium heat until slightly browned.

Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia

1 package active dry yeast, approximately 2 1/4 t
1 2/3 c lukewarm water (105 to 115°F)
4 c unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional 2 T, sifted
2 t table salt
1/4 c plus 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 t coarse sea salt

Stir together water and yeast in bowl of standing mixer and let rest until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 c flour, 1/4 cup oil, and table salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead at medium high speed until smooth and sticky, 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead in additional 1 to 2 T flour. Knead dough 1 minute (dough will be slightly sticky). Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Shape dough evenly into rectangle on oiled baking stone or cookie sheet, leaving 2 inch from edge. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Stir together rosemary and remaining ~3 T olive oil. Press shallow indentations into dough with fingertips, brush top and sides of loaf with rosemary and oil, allowing to pool in indentations. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over focaccia and bake in middle of oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Immediately remove from pan or stone, cool and slice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chef's Note: Because I live in an especially dry climate (hello 5% humidity!), the flour used here is significantly less than called for in the original recipe. Flour may be increased up to 5 c total, depending on level of local humidity.

Tortellini with Parmesan and Rosemary

1 pound frozen three cheese tortellini
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil*
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
fresh ground pepper to taste

Bring 5 quarts salted water to a rapid boil. Add tortellini and stir. Cook tortellini, stirring occasionally, until all pasta comes to the surface of the water. Remove from water and allow to drain. Drizzle with olive oil. Combine rosemary and parmesan, sprinkle over tortellini. Add pepper to taste. May be served hot or cold. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: Extra virgin olive oil has a darker color than virgin or plain olive oil. The darker the oil color, the more olive taste you will encounter. Extra virgin has the most intense flavor of all olive oil and is best used in cold dishes when you want a distinct olive flavor. It is not recommended for frying as the lack of processing that imparts the wonderful olive flavor leaves olive fruit particles in the oil that then burn when fried giving an unpleasant flavor to the food.

Pumpernickel Pastrami Panini with Rosemary Au-Jus

5 T butter, divided
2 c beef broth (one 15 oz can)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 pound shaved pastrami
8 slices pumpernickel bread
4 slices thinly sliced sharp white Cheddar

Rosemary Au-Jus
Melt 1 T butter in medium sized saucepan, over medium-low heat. Add garlic and saute approximately 3 minutes. Whisk in beef broth, rosemary, onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Allow to simmer while preparing panini.

Pumpernickel Pastrami Panini
Heat griddle to medium. Butter one side of one slice of pumpernickel and place on griddle, butter side down. Add one slice of cheese. Add 1/4 pastrami, another slice of cheese and top with another buttered bread slice, butter side up.

Place the bottom of a heavy skillet on top of sandwich, and press down to flatten (leave skillet on sandwich while grilling). Cook 2 minutes, flip, press down with heavy skillet again and cook an additional 2 minutes or until crisp. Repeat process with remaining sandwich ingredients.

Slice sandwiches on diagonal and serve with rosemary au-jus for dipping. Serves 4.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

Place leftover boiled potatoes in a large skillet and pan roast in 1T oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from pan to drain on paper towels, season heavily with kosher salt while still hot. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and serve.