Limoncello Pork Loin

4 Lbs. Whole Pork Loin
Flour
Salt & Pepper
3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Unsalted butter
1 Cup Limoncello
3 Tbs. Minced Garlic
1/3 Cup Thinly Sliced Pepperoncini
1 Lemon Thinly Sliced

Cut loin into ½ inch slices.  Pound each piece flat into 1/4 inch thick.

Season each piece with salt and pepper.  Dredge in flour, set aside.

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Do not allow to smoke.
Add pork pieces one at a time. Saute in batches until each piece is light golden brown on each side. About 2 minutes per side. Set pieces aside.

Reduce pan heat and melt butter.  Add Limoncello carefully as it will steam high for a few seconds.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Add pork back to pan, overlapping if needed.

Increase heat to medium low, sprinkle in garlic and cover pan to simmer 5 minutes.

Turn pieces.  Add 6 lemon slices in between pork pieces and layer top with pepperoncini slices.  Cover and simmer for 3 more minutes.

Serve on platter with all remaining sauce drizzled over pork. Garnish with remaining lemon slices.

Serves 8

“Mangia Bene”

Diane De Filipi
“Let’s Go Cook Italian”
www.letsgocookitalian.com

         

MELONCELLO RECIPE

1 Ripe Tuscan Melon (Cantaloupe)
20 oz. Everclear (Vodka can be substituted)
1 3/4 Cups White Sugar
17 Oz. Water

Peel and remove seeds from melon. Place melon flesh cubes into glass container. Add Vodka. Cover tightly w/fitted top.  All of the melon should be submerged.

NOTE:  If the melon’s you have are larger, you may need to add additional alcohol to cover the fruit.  If so, you will need to adjust the water and sugar in the second step.

Allow to soak in cool/dark cupboard 30 days. Rotate ingredients occasionally, but do not open container.

After 30 days, make a simple syrup w/the sugar & water over very low heat. Do not allow to overheat and change color. Important......allow to cool thoroughly.

After cooling syrup thoroughly, stir into the alcohol & fruit. Filter through a very fine screen strainer or cheesecloth, squeezing fruit to release all juices. Bottle and allow to rest 60 days.

Keep in freezer.  If you’ve used Vodka your beverage might get a little “slushy”. Simply shake before serving. If you use Everclear your liquid will not freeze at all.

PATIENCE!   Less time = less flavor and less color. Enjoy as clear liqueur or add heavy cream to personal taste for individual servings.

Since most of us don't have the equipment to bottle the creamed product safely, it's best to add cream when you want to enjoy.  Start with a small amount and add until you find the
creaminess that you prefer.

I also love watermelon and discovered that you can follow the same process to make a watermelon liqueur.  Minus the cream.  The Tuscan melons (cantaloupes) have the density to then cream the liqueur, but the watermelon does not.  You will want to use one of the mini-watermelons (seedless)
for a single batch.

NOTE: IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOUR MELONS (EITHER STYLE) BE VERY, VERY RIPE TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM FLAVOR.  IF THEY ARE NOT, YOUR FLAVOR WILL BE BLAND.

IN THE FINAL PROCESS, IF YOU NEED MORE MELON FLAVOR SIMPLY LIQUIFY AND JUICE EITHER A MELON OR WATERMELON AND ADD JUICE TO TASTE.

I LIKE RICH MELON FLAVOR, SO I JUICED A TUSCAN MELON AND ADDED THIS TO THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE MY CREMA DI MELONCELLO RECIPE

CREAMY DELICIOUSNESS IN A GLASS

CREMA DE LIMONCELLO

1 Liter Grain Alcohol (Everclear)
9 1/3 Cups Sugar
8 Lemons
2 Liters UHT (Ultra High Temperatures) Borden’s Whole Milk
1 Packet Powdered Vanilla
(7 Tsp. Vanilla Extract)

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 8 lemons in strips. Make sure white pith is removed.

In large glass container soak the lemon zest strips in the alcohol.  Keep covered and shake gently everyday for 7 days.

Remove the lemon zest strips and discard.

Put alcohol in large pot.  Add 2 liters of the UHT Milk, sugar and vanilla powder OR extract.

Bring to boil, stirring constantly so milk does not burn.

Remove from heat and allow to cool thoroughly until room temperature.

Before bottling the mixture use your hand mixer and beat until you have a creamy froth.

Bottle and store in freezer.

HELPFUL HINTS

UHT (Ultra High Temperatures) Whole milk is found on shelves.  They will be in box’s (much like broth stocks) and not in cans.  You may have to search these out.  There are a few producers in addition to Borden’s.

It’s worth the search!!

I’ve learned from the Italians to do whatever I can to preserve our culinary natural resources.

The strips of used lemon strips I grind up in the garbage disposal to freshen it.

The juice from the lemons is used to make fresh lemonade and/or I freeze the fresh juice from the lemons into ice cube trays.  Once frozen I remove and store in a zip lock bag.  When I need fresh lemon juice for a recipe I take out a cube or two and let it melt.

I’ve made a batch using Splenda instead of sugar and it was delicious.
 -
 I learned how to make this luxurious nectar from my friends Dario and Mary Rose Bognani, who live in Tuscany.  It was Mary Rose who discovered that by whipping Dario's basic mixture you could create the frothy finish.

Dario is the Maitre'd and Wine Guru Extraordinaire at Ristorante Villa Campestri.

Share a beautiful son, Aeros.