Tribute to Sheila Lukins

Recently a good friend mentioned that she had made ratatouille in remembrance of the late Sheila Lukins, cookbook author and founder of Silver Palate Foods. Over the years I have referred to one of her first cookbooks, The New Basics Cookbook, many times. In fact, one of my all-time favorite recipes for garlic roasted redskins was adapted from a potato recipe in that very book. I decided to use both the New Basics book and her USA cookbook in tonight’s meal preparation. In honor of Sheila Lutkins we enjoyed:

Asian-Style Barbecued Pork Tenderloin
Asian Ratatouille
Marinated Cucumber Salad



Asian-Style Barbecued Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from a recipe in U.S.A. cookbook

Marinade
½ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
2-½ T sesame oil
1 ½ T minced garlic
2 t fresh lime juice
2 t rice wine vinegar
1 ½ t ground ginger

Pkg. of pork tenderloins

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place pork tenderloins in a zip lock bag with marinade and refrigerate for 3 hours

Asian-Style Barbecue Sauce

¾ cup of your favorite Barbecue Sauce ( I used D L Jardine’s Killer Sauce)
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
½ t minced garlic
½ ground ginger

Mix all the ingredients in small saucepan and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.

When ready to cook dinner:

Heat grill to high.

Place tenderloins on grill, close cover and turn heat down to medium/low. Grill for 7 minutes

Turn tenderloins and grill for 7 more minutes. Place on platter and cover with foil and let meat rest for ten minutes, then slice thinly on the diagonal. Pour some of the barbecue sauce over the meat and pass extra.

Asian Ratatouille
Adapted from a recipe in the New Basics Cookbook

1 small eggplant peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
salt
6 T sesame oil
2 ribs celery cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices
1 onion cut into slivers
1 red pepper julienned
2 small zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into ¼ inch slices
¾ cup chicken broth
2 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 t cornstarch
1 t minced garlic
½ t ground ginger
2 t hoisin sauce
1 T chopped cilantro
2 T chopped scallions (I used chives)
2 T toasted sesame seeds

Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes

Preheat over to 350

Heat 3 T sesame oil in large flameproof casserole or dutch oven (with lid). Sauté the celery, onion and red pepper five minutes. Remove veggies and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and sauté the zucchini and eggplant for 5 minutes. Add the reserved veggies back to the pot and remove from heat.

Combine the broth, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and blend well with wire whisk. Pour over vegetable mixture, cover and bake 40 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro, garnish with chives and sesame seeds.