Recipe: Dinner for Unannounced Guests - Salmon Mousse, Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts Tossed in Orange Butter, Spanish Rice, Banana Souffle

DINNER FOR UNANNOUNCED GUESTS
Salmon Mousse
Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Pork Loin
with Port Wine Sauce
Brussels Sprouts Tossed in Orange Butter
Spanish Rice
Banana Souffle

---

SALMON MOUSSE
Servings: 5

1 (16 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup grated carrots
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup scalded milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease one 8x4 inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the salmon, bread crumbs, carrots, mustard, eggs, milk, butter, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper using your hands until evenly blended.

Press into the greased loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

---

GARLIC AND ROSEMARY ROASTED PORK LOIN
Servings: 8-10

1 pork loin, center cut, boneless, tied for roasting about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
salt to season generously
fresh ground black pepper to season generously
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil for searing

PORT WINE SAUCE:
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon shallots, minced
1/2 cup Ruby port wine
2 cups demi glace or brown sauce
1/2 cup cream
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place tied pork loin in roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Rub minced garlic liberally onto pork loin along with fresh rosemary. Turn pork loin over and season, repeating the process.

Roast at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 140 to 150 degrees.

While the pork loin is roasting, prepare the Port wine sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, saut until translucent; do not brown. Pour in Port wine and bring to a simmer. Allow mixture to simmer and reduce in volume by 1/2.

Stir in brown sauce, reduce heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Stir to avoid scorching. Allow sauce to cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Incorporate cream and squeeze of fresh lemon.

Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Strain and reserve. When pork loin is ready, remove from oven and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove butcher string. Slice and serve with Port wine sauce.

---

BRUSSELS SPROUTS TOSSED IN ORANGE BUTTER

750 grams Brussel sprouts
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons orange rind -- grated
salt & pepper

Trim and clean the sprouts. Cut the large ones in half, lengthwise. Steam the sprouts for about 10 minutes, until barely tender when pierced with a knife.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sprouts and heat through. Toss with orange juice, rind, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

---

SPANISH RICE
Servings: 3-4

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 green pepper, white pith removed, seeded and thinly sliced
2 red peppers, white pith removed, seeded and thinly sliced
12 oz. mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
14 oz. canned peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 oz. (1/2 cup) stoned green olives
I teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 oz. (2 cups) cooked rice

In a large frying-pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent but not brown.

Add the green and red peppers and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes with the can juice, olives, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

Add the rice to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the rice is heated through.

Transfer the mixture to a warmed serving dish. Serve immediately, if you are serving it hot.

---

BANANA SOUFFLE
Servings: 4

2 very ripe medium bananas, cut 1-inch chunks
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Poire William *
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
3 tbsp teaspoons sugar (plus 2tsp)
1 pinch cream of tartar
garnish
fresh raspberry puree, strained

* Poire William is a sweet pear liqueur named after the variety of pear the French call Williams Bon-Chretien, and which our secular society calls Bartlett. A Poire William can be either a true pear brandy, distilled from pears and made in Alsace and Switzerland, or a hybrid, made by infusing crushed pear with a grape-based spirit. In the absence of Poire William, pear nectar and brandy in some combination would probably be a fine substitute.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray four 1 1/2 cup souffle dishes with nonstick cooking spray.

In a food processor, puree the bananas with the lemon juice, Poire William and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of the sugar; process to blend thoroughly. Scrape the banana base into a medium bowl.

In a mixer bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at high speed until stiff peaks form. With the mixer on, sprinkle on the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy. Fold the egg whites into the banana base.

Spoon into the prepared dishes; the mixture will mount to the top. Run your thumb around the inside rims to form a 1/4-inch groove in the mixture; this will help the souffles rise evenly.

Set the dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to 425 degrees and bake for 7 minutes longer, or until puffed and browned.

Spoon a little raspberry sauce on top and serve immediately.