A Fabulous Roast Pork Sandwich with Rosemary Aioli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple sandwich is the one I promised to share with you yesterday. It has three major components and if any one of them is off, the sandwich will be a disappointment. If, however, you use fresh ciabatta, tender pork loin and the rosemary aioli I'm including in tonight's post, you are in for some memorable eating. The sandwich is based on one I found in Once Upon A Tart, coauthored by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau, and while I have changed the recipe over time, I am indebted to them for this wonderful sandwich. I'll be serving it to my own guests on Super Bowl Sunday. While leftover pork can be used for this sandwich, I prefer to use the Pork Center Cut Loin Filet that is packaged by Hormel. These tiny roasts weigh about 1-1/2 pound and they'll cook in 40 to 45 minutes and produce tender slices that are a perfect size for sandwiches of this type. You'll want to liberally season the roasts with salt and coarse black pepper before roasting them. I use an Italian-style garlic salt to flavor mine. The ciabatta loaves I use for this are about 10-inches long and I've found that a loaf of this size will make five sandwiches. Tonight's recipe is for one 10-inch sandwich, and while the bread and meat are important, it's the aioli that takes this sandwich over the top. It is not hard to make and if you have a blender, upright or immersion, you'll have the world's most wonderful mayonnaise in a matter of minutes. I do hope you'll try this sandwich. It truly is a delight and I know you will enjoy it. Here is how it's made.

Peruvian Salt Roasted Shrimp with Pimenton Aioli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to do a lot of Peruvian cooking before our October Amazon adventure began, but it seems the universe, or at least the clock, has conspired against me. I've only made a few of the dishes I intended to try, but, hopefully, they'll give the Silver Fox and me a real sense of what's to come. The recipe I'm featuring tonight came from an article written by John Broening for The Denver Post. The recipe, and the unusual technique used to cook the shrimp, was given to him by an uncle who lives in Peru, where the dish would be made with langoustines. In order to make this dish, you'll need a cast iron skillet, large unpeeled shrimp and a boatload of Kosher salt. The shrimp go into a hot skillet to which no oil has been added. They are covered with kosher salt and allowed to cook for several minutes on each side. As they cook, the salt forms a crust that keeps the shrimp super moist and flavorful. The shells, which remain on the shrimp as they cook, keep them from becoming too salty. Once they are cool enough to handle, the salt is brushed off and the shrimp are peeled. They are served with a fabulous quick-fix aioli that I know you will enjoy. This is a wonderfully flavorful dish that almost had my socks going up and down. I am withholding that accolade only because peeling the cooked shrimp is a real bother. I liked this dish enormously and I'll fix it again. I think those of you who try the shrimp will like them as much as I do. Here's the recipe.

Peruvian Salt Roasted Shrimp with Pimenton Aioli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of John Broening and the Denver Post

Ingredients:
Pimenton Aioli
Juice of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1 cup canola oil
Salt Roasted Shrimp
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, unpeeled, intestine removed
2 cups kosher salt
Lemon wedges

Directions:
1) To make aioli: Purée lemon juice, egg yolks, garlic, paprika, hot sauce, and salt and pepper in a food processor. Add canola oil slowly with processor running to emulsify. Refrigerate aioli, covered, until ready to use.
2) To make shrimp: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add enough shrimp to fill pan so the pan is full but the shrimp are not touching. Generously sprinkle exposed surface of shrimp with salt and cook for three minutes. Turn, and sprinkle with a little more salt. Cook 2 minutes and remove to a platter. Repeat procedure until all shrimp are cooked. Serve family-style with smoked paprika aioli and lemon wedges. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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Rosemary Aioli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love a really good sandwich and over the years I've learned that a little extra effort can take a good sandwich and make it great. The best of sandwiches start with good bread and a wonderfully flavorful spread to bind the bread and filling to each other. Good bread is no longer a problem as sources for it abound, but it's a different story when it comes to sandwich spreads. While there are good commercial spreads available, they make adequate, not great sandwiches. Years ago Julia Child and her contemporaries developed recipes for blender mayonnaise. That changed the way I made sandwiches. Those early recipes have long since been retired, but I still use the blender to make a highly flavored aioli that will make your socks go up and down. I use this particular spread for roast beef and roast pork sandwiches. It is also wonderful with leftover chicken. While this is an extremely easy recipe, when you are pressed for time rosemary and garlic can be added to commercial mayonnaise for somewhat comparable results. I hope you will try this. It will make your sandwiches truly exceptional. Here's the recipe .

Rosemary Aioli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Aioli Additions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:
1) To make mayonnaise: Place egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in jar of an electric blender. Blend for 30 seconds. Combine olive and vegetable oil in a 1-cup measure. With motor running, slowly add 1/4 cup oil in a slow stream, blending until mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. With blender running, add remainder of oil in a steady stream.
2) To make aioli: Place 1 cup mayonnaise in a bowl. Add garlic, rosemary, pepper and salt. Mix well. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 1-1/4 cups.

Cook's Note: Tarragon can be substituted for rosemary if you prefer a tarragon flavored aioli.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mexican Beer-Cheese Spread - One Perfect Bite
Pumpkin Butter - One Perfect Bite
Liptauer Cheese Spread - One Perfect Bite
Pimento Cheese Spread - Foodista
Orange and Chive Aioli - Fine Cooking
Garlic Lemon Aioli - Culinate