Grilling and Roasting. What could be easier?

Dinner last night was grilled pork tenderloin with roasted green beans and baby potatoes.

There is nothing simpler than roasting veggies and I think there is nothing tastier.  One of the most important steps is to roast them at a high temperature.

Recently I was staying at Sister N's house.  She provides great hospitality, so the least I can do is cook for her and the girls. 

Well I decided to roast asparagus.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I roasted them at 350 degrees.  Although they still tasted good, they were quite soggy.  Not a dish I was proud of.  However, I think I was forgiven.

Thankfully last night didn't yield the same result.  The green beans and potatoes came out perfectly cooked.  I coated them with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkled them with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  I placed them on a large tin foil covered cookie sheet and set them aside until I was ready to pop them into a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

By the by, the potatoes were really tiny this particular time.  They were between 1/2" and 1".  So if you don't find them that size, just cut them and they will be perfect.

Also, see the lone green bean cut in half in the upper right hand corner?  I was saving those pieces for our pups Frankie and Stella.  Whenever I start putting veggies on the cutting board, the two of them are there in a shot.  Sometimes they have to wait a very long time, but they always get a very small portion of an uncooked veggie.  Frankie gets the smaller piece, because he is a P-I-G.  I say that with love.

He is a little chunky, but a lot cute! 

  

And Stella is the sweetest girl ever!

Enough about the cutest dogs around, it is time to get the pork ready for UD to grill. 

A little side note:  When UD and I were first together, over 30 years ago, we had a tiny little Hibachi and UD would grill on it outside our apartment window.  Whatever he was grilling usually came out fair to poor, as did whatever I was cooking inside.  But between our desire for more delicious food, and the first airing of The Food Network, we have both come a long way.  He is really a fantastic griller now and I can always count on him for the perfect main dish.

Okay, the pork gets the same treatment as the veggies.  Coat with EVOO and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

According to UD, put it on the grill at high temperature for ~20 minutes with the cover down and turn it 4 or 5 times.  The outside should be crisp and the inside remains tender and juicy.

Looking good UD!

The veggies are going in the oven halfway through the pork cooking time.  That way the pork can rest while the veggies finish up.  It feels redundant to say this because I hear it on the food network shows all the time, but it really is very important.  Let the meat rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.  That way the juices redistribute into the meat and every slice is juicy, rather than just the first one or two.

Now the veggies come out of the oven.  The green beans were tender crisp, and the potatoes were soft, fluffy and delicious. 

It all made for a really wonderful and incredibly simple dinner.  Nes cafe?