Recipe(tried): Refreshing course on cooking for guests - Mango Chicken Salad, Broiled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Curry

A REFRESHING COURSE ON COOKING FOR GUESTS

I have forgotten how exciting and rewarding is the actual planning and the accomplishment of cooking for guests. A promise is a promise. I promised my beloved group of friends and associates to resume our long existing custom of having dinner or a soiree at least once a week. Now I have all the time in the world to help in the planning of the activity. As most of us are accomplished cooks, and everybody is anxious to cooperate with the necessary money to buy the ingredients and drinks, the occasion is just an excuse to meet at our particular houses and to enjoy a delightful time discussing recent events, hearing our favorite music or doing whatever seems to tempt our dispositions.

I must concede that on Saturday evening I was unusually nervous. Since mami's death on January 4, 2001, I had been somewhat of a recluse, fighting my own demons. The group continued their weekly meetings, but they assure that it was not the same. I can believe this, because for almost twenty years we had been sharing meetings, travel and important dates and celebrations.

I planned a simple Menu because as all of you might guess, I am rusty in my entertaining abilities. The boys brought a box of my beloved Fransola (Sauvignon Blanc) to accompany the dinner. I was planning on serving the dinner at the patio, but it was 98 degrees F at 6:00PM, therefore, on were the two Miller consoles that provide air condition to the lower floor of my townhouse, and the activity was moved to the kitchen and the dining room. For music we heard a wonderful rendition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, interpreted by the Puerto Rico philharmonic orchestra, which served as conversation stimulant and object of national pride for most of my guests. For your pleasure, here is Saturdays Menu. Buen provecho!

As appetizers, I served a big cheese tray with 1 lb. aged Manchego cheese, 1/2 lb. Stilton, 1/2 lb. Provolone and 1 lb. wonderful aged white cheddar, bought at Sam's delicatessen. I also served assorted crackers and a tray of fresh fruit, including white seedless grapes, apple slices previously sprinkled with limejuice, strawberries and fresh dates. I included too a small cold cuts tray with salami, prosciutto, sliced polish sausage and a native sausage called salchich n which was brought to me from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Wine was flowing and I also opened 4 more bottles of Robert Mondavi's Cabernet Sauvignon, for red wine lovers.

MANGO CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4 to 6

6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut in 1 inch cubes,
Marinade for the chicken (recipe follows)
Italian bottled Light dressing for the salad
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 green bell pepper sliced as for Fajitas or chopped
1/2 red pepper, sliced or chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 spears celery finely sliced
1/3 cup golden Sultana raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 Mangoes, ripe but firm, peeled and cubed
8 lettuce leaves, washed and shredded with your hands
1 bunch of watercress, washed and patted dry.
1 carrot, peeled and sliced

Marinade:

1/3 cup mango nectar
1 tb lime juice
2 tb olive oil
2 tb sherry or white wine
4 garlic cloves, crushed in a mortar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
chopped fresh ginger to taste
chopped cilantrillo (Chinese parsley)

Toss the chicken in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Drain the chicken and grill in the George Foreman Grill until it is golden. Set aside. Combine in a big salad bowl the Italian Dressing, cabbage, broiled or grilled chicken, bell peppers. Onion, celery, raisins and mango cubes. To serve, arrange on individual salad plates the lettuce, watercress and carrot. Scoop a mound of chicken salad on each plate and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Delicious.

BROILED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MUSTARD CURRY
6 servings

2 tb Dijon Mustard
2 tb curry powder, or to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 lbs pork tenderloin in 1 piece
Mango Chutney, the mild version.

Preheat the broiler according to manufacturer's instructions until quite hot. Blend the mustard, curry, salt and pepper and rub over the meat. Broil the meat, turning frequently to brown all sides until cooked through but still pink in the inside (about 10 to 15 minutes). Let the meat sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the chutney or some fresh Salsa as a garnish. I served the tenderloin with mashed potatoes a la Gina (Garlic Mashed potatoes) and saut ed vegetables with a sesame butter sauce. For dessert we had store bought New York Cheesecake (very rich) and dark Expresso and Brandy.

The activity was a success!