Pan seared pork loin and Jim Beam reduction served with salt encrusted fresno pepper aioli yukon gold potato salad.

This will be the first of my culinary creations posts.  Special thanks goes to Eleanor for taking the photos as I cooked.  This dish came to mind because I had two pieces of pork loin lying about in the fridge that were not getting any younger, and their impatience would inevitably lead to their decision of engaging in a self-inflicted science experiment involving a study in decomposition.  I also had some yukon gold fingerlings that needed tending to, so I decided to re-create a recipe similar to one I had made in the past and turn them into a fresno pepper potato salad.  The picture below is of the finished product once it has been plated and the images after detail the process step by step, enjoy!

Step 1: Fresno pepper aioli

Slice roughly ten Fresno peppers in half, and peel four cloves of garlic.

Remove the seeds from the Fresno peppers unless you want it really spicy.  Without the seeds the aioli is still spicy and not too overpowering.

While you're dealing with the peppers start bringing the yukon gold fingerlings and water to a boil.  This was made for two people and I wanted to have some left over for the next day so I used about 11/2 lbs. of potatoes.

Back to the aioli: chop your four cloves of garlic roughly adding it to the de-seeded peppers in a blender with a splash of olive oil.

Blend the peppers, garlic, and oil together until smooth.

Add half a tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper and the same amount of finely ground sea salt to the mixture.

Then begin adding the mayo and blending it until it reaches a thick consistency. 

Once the potatoes come to a rolling boil add generous amounts of kosher salt to the water until the potatoes begin to float.  The floating potatoes let you know it is salty enough because they float when the  water becomes saturated with salt, like the Dead Sea.  

Now, take some Jim Beam filling a sauce pan about 3/4" with the J&B, bring that to a boil and add about 1/2 a cup of brown sugar stirring until it dissolves in the J&B, turn the heat down to a simmer so it does not burn the sugar, and stir periodically.  Through this process you are making what is called a reduction.  As the liquid boils (evaporates away) it becomes thicker and thicker - like a syrup.  This will take some time.

While the reduction is going, the potatoes should be finished boiling.  Strain the water from the potatoes and place them on a sheet tray and put them in the refrigerator to cool down, otherwise they'll keep cooking and you'll have mushy nasty potatoes.  

Now that the aioli, and potatoes are fine and do not need your attention you can turn the J&B reduction down to low and go have a cigarette.  This is what cooks in restaurants do, we do a bunch of work, then get it to a point where it can be left for a bit, taking a step back to let you and the food gather your bearings.  This is a good idea, because you and the food have now entered into a serious relationship, you need time to think about your feelings and where this relationship is going.  Take a breather.....

That's better.

While the reduction is simmering, take your two pieces of pork loin and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on them.

Sprinkle the pork with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and let that sit while you tend to other things.

Yum!!  Despite the horrible smell this reduction makes don't worry, it tastes incredible!

Take the potatoes out of the fridge and notice the white crust on the skin, that is the sea salt from when you boiled them.  This is a good thing, that is exactly what you wanted.

Taste the potatoes, they are awesome!!!  You never fathomed potatoes could taste so good!!  You now realize that you have been stupid your whole life thinking that potatoes were not that exciting.  These potatoes are so badass that they'll punch you in the face if you give them attitude!

Slice the potatoes on a bias (angle), then put them back on the sheet tray and into the fridge to finish cooling off.

The reduction should now be thick like syrup and coat a utensil, in this case a fork I was using to stir it.

Add one pat of butter to the reduction.  By doing this you will be tightening the sauce, or in other words you are using the fat in the butter to thicken the sauce, bind it together and give it a wonderful sheen.  After the butter melts you want to take it off the heat so it does no burn, or break (separate).

When it cools a bit it will start becoming very thick, almost a solid.  You will be heating it again before use, so don't worry.

Take your pork loins and place them in a hot pan with a bit of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, and don't fucking say it "Evooo," you just sound like an ass and have relinquished all dignity and you should be publicly stoned).

While the pork is finishing up with a nice golden color, take the potatoes and put them into a mixing bowl.  Add enough of the aioli to coat the potatoes and toss them together until coated.  Now everything has come together and you're ready to plate it.

Take a generous handful of the potato salad and place it slightly off-center on the plate in a mound, give it a bit of height, it looks good and will aid in the rest of the plating.

Now take the pork loin and slice it diagonally, lean one piece against the potatoes with the sharp end pointing up, then lean the other piece along the right edge of the other in the same position (see picture below).  

Heat the reduction on medium heat until it softens up and then, using a regular spoon that you eat with, drizzle the sauce over the pork and around the base of the pork on the plate.  Finally, add a nice sprig of dill for garnish.....awesome.

That is how you make this pork business, I just made this up.

Enjoy!