Dream Dinners has a booth at the Chocolate Show at the South Town Expo Center this weekend and I have been asked to do one of the 30 minute cooking segments.  Everyone else there will be making delicious deserts so I decided to do something a little different.  I will be teaching a class on using cocoa in savory recipes.  I decided to share a couple of the recipes I like.  I will be doing a demo of the Pork Tenderloin at the show on Saturday at 2pm so if you want to stop by please come and support me.

Here are a few things I will highlight.

What chocolate brings to savory dishes is complexity and depth. The cocoa butter brings texture and mouthfeel, and the cocoa solids bring color and richness. A chef can choose a chocolate for a dish much in the same way they chooses a wine to cook or pair with a food.

Adding cocoa to savory dishes is a great way to get the benefits of chocolate without all the fat and sugar usually found in sweet chocolate-based treats.   Cocoa can act as a thickener, and is a great addition to sauces and glazes. A small amount of cocoa can go a long way in savory dishes made with chocolate. 

Cocoa Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

• 1  Tbsp whole white peppercorns
• 1  Tbsp whole coriander
• 4 1/2 Tbsp  cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 3 1/2  Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 4  Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 (2-pound) pork tenderloins
• 2  Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast white peppercorns and coriander seeds until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and grind to fine powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Mix the ground pepper and coriander with remaining spices, cocoa and salt.

Rub pork with a generous amount of the cocoa spice rub. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear each tenderloin on all sides until a rich brown color, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove tenderloins from heat and finish in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Let the tenderloins rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew

• 2  Tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2  Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 3  Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2  Tbsp tomato paste
• 2  Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp basil
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 2 cups diced potatoes (1 in cubes)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery

Set a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan add the beef and sear all sides.  Transfer the browned beef to a large plate or bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan and, once melted, add the mushrooms and saute until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and cook until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, tomato paste, cocoa powder, thyme, oregano, basil, allspice, and browned meat to the pan and bring  to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook the stew for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, add the potatoes, carrots and celery and continue to cook the stew for another hour.   Serve Hot.