fresh from the time warner building

When I go to Whole Foods (10 Columbus Circle, at the Time Warner Building), I’m pretty darn happy. Being surrounded by mountains of fresh, organic, and locally sourced ingredients turns me into a bit of a kid at a candy store. There couldn’t be a better place to get inspired and figure out what to make for dinner.

I made the unfortunate mistake of bringing a friend to go ingredient shopping with me. I think I may have left her behind because I saw these really beautiful apples across the produce section. My sincerest apologies, Doro.

But, hopefully, the dinner was worth the shopping experience. These are pictures from last night’s dinner with my two favorite Stern juniors (or seniors, now?) EVER, Nicole and Dorothea.

Appetizer: Seared sea scallops with sauteed cremini mushrooms and chives

The key to a good sea scallop is to get the pan blazing hot. Scallops hold a lot of water, so if your pans aren’t hot enough, your scallops will look (and taste) boiled. I sauteed the mushrooms with butter, white wine, and a little bit of dijon mustard.

Main course: Sear-roasted pork tenderloin with wild mushrooms, oven dried cherry tomatoes, yukon gold mashed potatoes, and sauteed greens

—The pork—

The beautiful locally sourced pork tenderloins I got from whole foods. I rubbed these down with salt, pepper, and oil before throwing them onto a hot pan.

Seared off and ready for the oven. The tenderloins were basted with an aromatic mixture of butter, fresh thyme, and minced garlic.

The final result. Sliced, moist, and cooked a perfect medium. (If you can get your hands on fresh enough pork, you really should cook it medium. Pork can get so tough if you do it well done.)

—The greens—