There are times that I plan on leftovers. And there are times that I dread leftovers. Reheating the same old meal can get . . . . . . . . . . OLD. But when the leftovers can be completely reinvented into something incredible, then I start digging through the refrigerator and freezer, hoping for leftovers.
Pork tenderloin is one of those meals that means versatile leftovers.
- Diced and added to eggs for a breakfast-for-dinner omelet.
- Sliced thinly and added to fried rice.
- Chopped and drenched in creamy carbonara.
Of course, there are dozens of other options, but these are some of our faves. Each dish is comforting and delicious.
If you’ve never made carbonara before, it is rich and creamy — but not because of cream. Egg yolks mixed with starchy pasta water forms the velvety-rich base, and freshly grated parmesan cheese makes it tasty. With very little time or effort, the result is a low-fat, yet decadent dish you can feel good about serving regularly.
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Simple Pork Carbonara
Description
Low-fat decadence in an easy-to-make dish
Ingredients
2 Tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c vodka
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
2–3 cups cooked pork tenderloin, chopped
1/2 pound pasta
1 c grated fresh parmesan cheese
3 egg yolks
Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and oregano and cook until garlic is fragrant and soft, but don’t allow it to brown.
Meanwhile, get pasta cooking according to directions on the box. When you drain pasta, reserve about one cup of the starchy pasta water.
Deglaze skillet with vodka, then add tomatoes and pork to heat. Toss in drained pasta.
In a small bowl, mix egg yolks with a fork. Add hot pasta water one tablespoon at a time while continuing to mix with a fork to temper the yolks. Continue adding water until it amounts to about one cup.
Toss with pasta in the skillet, and then add grated parmesan.
