mojo

Jilly is one of my breast friends.  She brings light to a party and is always the gracious hostess.

We became close comrades at my first job in Advertising: I would pass up important filing jobs so I could ‘assist the art buyer in evaluating some images’ (ok, maybe they were in People), she brought to my attention the EVP’s love of boobs (you couldn’t have a conversation with this woman without her staring your nipples conscerningly), we’d take long lunches tanning by the pool in the summer.  
Even after I high-tailed it out of Detroit, we remained close.

She and her sister came to town one weekend for a visit and stayed with me.  In honor of their attendance, I wanted to do something super-special for them, so I offered to make dinner at my place.

Objective: Super-special and delicious dinner for six.
Challenge: I had to work until 5:30. I am on an advertising budget.
Solution: Grilled pork tenderloin with Mojo sauce (served with goat cheese mashed potatoes and tomato cassarole)

Pork tenderloin is relatively quick, delicious and easy to make, and cheap compared to most other meats.

Mojo Sauce
  1 cup Olive oil
  1 cup Orange Juice (or other citrus juice)
  2 cloves minced Garlic 
  Salt and pepper

Rub down your tenderloin (oh, I love saying that) in garlic, then salt and pepper it.
Marinate it in the mojo sauce for 15-20 minutes (tip: when marinating meat, don’t leave it in an acid for too long, as the meat will start to cook and toughen)
Throw the tenderloin on a medium-high heat, about 3 minutes a side (I always cook it as if there are 3 sides), drizzling the remaining marinade over the meat as it cooks. (tip: don’t puncture the meat while it’s on the grill or the juices will cook out, leaving it less tender)
Set it on a plate to rest for at least 5 minutes. 

Cut 1″ slices on a diagonal and serve with your favorite sides a few very full glasses of wine.  The night was a success.  The client meeting the day after… that’s another story.