Ingredient Title Chef Category

One roast can give birth to three meals

We all want to stretch our money and time and a boneless pork loin can help us do both.

Here are some thoughts on how you can do something a bit unusual with leftovers.

Reserve about 1/3 of the meat for Pork & Asparagus Fried Rice, half of the sweet potatoes for Sweet Potato Soup, and 6 stalks of the cooked asparagus for later use.

Day one: Roast Pork with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus. Day two: Fried Rice. Day three: Soup with a sandwich or salad.

Roast Pork

2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin roast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more
3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Mashed Sweet Potatoes:

4 pounds, peeled and cut into 2-inch slices
1 tablespoon butter, optional
1/4 cup warmed milk, optional

Asparagus:

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, tough ends snapped off
Fresh lemon wedges
Olive oil or butter or mayonnaise

Roast Pork: Preheat oven to 400 F. Place rack over foil-line pan that will hold the pork loin. Cut slits in the roast, especially through the fat layer, in 2-inch intervals. Season the roast all over with the salt and pepper and rub in the garlic. Brush the roast with olive oil and roast until it reaches 142 to 145 F, about 45 minutes to one hour. Or, cook it on the grill. After pork is done, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes. The internal temperature will go up and the juices will settle down. Sweet potatoes: Place in pot and cover with 1- to 2-inches of water. Add salt. Cover, bring to a boil and remove cover. Cook on a low boil, uncovered until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Set aside half of the potatoes for use later. Gently mash the rest with 1/2 cup of the cooking water, the butter and warm milk. If not using butter and milk, add more cooking water to reach the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper. Asparagus: When water is boiling add the asparagus. After the pork comes out of the oven begin steaming asparagus to desired tenderness, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside about 6 stalks for later use. Place the rest on a platter and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Pork & Asparagus Fried Rice

When you are cooking the rice double the amount called for here and use the leftover rice to make rice pudding for another meal. Dried rice will triple in volume when you cook it.

2/3 cup jasmine, brown or regular rice, cooked, drained and chilled
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 scallions, sliced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
1 1/2 cups leftover pork, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
6 stalks leftover cooked asparagus, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside. Place a wok or heavy frying pan over high heat. When hot, add 2 teaspoons of the oil and swirl around to heat up. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic and chile flakes. Fry, stirring constantly, until browned, about 2 minutes. Add pork and asparagus. Stir until just barely heated, about 1 minute. Move cooked food to the side of pan and add remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan. When oil is hot, reduce heat and add rice. Stir-fry until the rice separates and softens, about 3 minutes. Quickly toss the contents of the pan with the soy sauce mixture and then season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with hot sauce of your choice. Makes 2 servings.

Sweet Potato Soup

If you have any roast pork left you can serve this with toasted mustard and pork sandwiches or crackers will do nicely, as will thin Baggett slices, fresh or toasted (a good use for stale bread). Or, make a quick salad from cucumbers and radishes or tomatoes splashed with raspberry vinegar.

1 leek or 6 scallions sliced, including the green parts
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage or thyme, or use dried, to taste
2 pounds cooked sweet potatoes
1 quart chicken stock/broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt, or more

Saute leek or scallions with butter and sage until tender. Add cooked sweet potatoes and chicken broth and simmer until flavors meld and soup is very hot, 5 minutes. Pour into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season and then add yogurt to taste, pureeing once again. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Finnish Carrot & Rice Pudding

This recipe from Amelia Johnson of Rolla, N.D., can be served as a side dish with various meats or it can be served as a dessert with a little more sugar (brown, raw or granulated) and cream. Leftover cooked carrots can be used.

1 cup raw rice or 3 cups cooked
2 cups milk, if rice is raw, 1/2 cup if rice has been cooked
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound cooked or raw carrots, chopped fine
2 eggs
1 tablespoon brown sugar, or more
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Boil uncooked rice in salted water; drain and finish cooking in milk (or use previously cooked rice). Stir in butter and let cool. Chop carrots fine and mix together with eggs and sugar; stir into rice. Pour into buttered baking dish; sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake 30 minutes or until browned. Makes 6 servings.

Easy as one-two-three!

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