4 Kids 'n Us Recipes

The California Grill's
signature dish
PORK
TENDERLOIN
One-third to one-half pound of fresh (not previously frozen) pork tenderloins
per person.

Coat the tenderloins with olive oil and season generously with salt
and pepper. Sear in a hot cast-iron skillet, browning on all sides.
Set aside for later grilling, reserving pan juices.
MUSTARD
BUTTER FOR PORK
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Combine
all ingredients until well blended. Set aside. Makes enough to coat
3 to 4 pounds of pork tenderloin.
POLENTA
(For a low-fat alternative, substitute water or yogurt for the milk
and heavy cream.)
1
cup diced white onion
1 head garlic, diced and sautéed
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups polenta (less if you prefer a softer texture)
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs-equal parts thyme, rosemary, sage,
and chives (if using dried herbs, cut proportions in half).
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Sauté
onion in a small amount of olive oil until transparent. Stir in garlic,
then add water, milk and cream and bring to a boil. Whisk in polenta
slowly, stirring until thick and bubbling. Continue to stir and cook
for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let thicken for 5 minutes.
Pour
mixture into a pan and bake at 275 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from
oven and fold in cheeses and herbs. Add salt and pepper and pour into
a crock to serve.
BALSAMIC
SMOTHERED MUSHROOMS
1/2 cup shallots, minced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup stock, chicken or beef
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, or portobello)
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
Place
shallots in a sauté pan with the reserved pork tenderloin pan
juices. Sauté, stirring, then deglaze the pan with the vinegar. Reduce liquid by half, then add the stock and continue cooking
until liquid has reached a light glaze consistency.
Wash,
slice and season the mushrooms with a little olive oil. Spread the mushrooms
out on a grill rack and place over low heat. Cover for a few minutes
to lightly smoke the mushrooms. Combine the mushrooms with the reduced
liquid and set aside.
Next,
grill the tenderloins over a low to medium fire, turning frequently
to lightly brown on all sides (approximately 20 minutes). Baste occasionally
with the mustard butter and continue to grill until the tenderloins
reach desired doneness.
To
serve, place a cup of polenta on each plate. Slice the tenderloins into
thick coins and place five coins in the center of the polenta. Ladle
the balsamic mushroom sauce over the coins and top with a few leaves
of sage or parsley.