Movie, General, The Ninja Captain Plays.

Saturday night we watched an old film (1965) called The Hill.There were several well know names in it, Sean Connery, Michael Redgrave and Roy Kinnear for instance. One of those movies where you said “I know him” all the time without being able to find the name. After a short while I wasn’t going to watch any more but then we both got hooked and watched it to the end. It was a very good movie although the ending was a tad ambiguous. The IMDb description of the story “WWII, in a British disciplinary camp located in the Libyan desert. Prisoners are persecuted by Staff Sergeant Williams, who made them climb again and again, under the heavy sun, an artificial hill built right in the middle of the camp. Harris is a more human and compassionate guard, but the chief, S.M. Wilson, refuses to disown his subordinate Williams. One day, five new prisoners arrive. Each of them will deal in a different way with the authority and Williams' ferocity. “ Williams commits atrocity after atrocity and is supported by his boss, until a death occurs. We both wondered how much truth there was in this movie, we were both horrified to think there may be more than we would like to acknowledge. Excellent old movie. Interesting that Connery made this movie the same year he was making James Bond movies. This one I had never heard of before.

Today we will be without heat for the day. I hope it doesn’t get too cold although we will be out in the afternoon. I’ll be bowling. At the moment we are not sure if Matt will be. He has had a lousy and painful weekend as many of you know if you are a Facebook friend. I will be on the phone to the specialist’s office asap on Monday morning. When Matt uses a cane you can be sure he is in pain same with taking pain pills. I have been told about pain meds which can be delivered via a patch. Not heard of them before, I think they are available here but not certain. Will make enquiries. A friend in Australia swears by hers.

Oops, I nearly forgot. The Ninja Captain has produced a video, 1 minute long, of him playing his guitar. He is playing a piece from Easter by Marillion. I am no expert on guitar music by any means but it sounds excellent to me.

 

This recipe sounds a sure fired winner to me. I think it could also be done with a tenderloin and we have some in the freezer. The link came from the NY Times letter.

Bacon-Wrapped Roast Pork Loin Stuffed With Dried Fruit

Molly O'Neill

• Time2 hours 20 minutes
• Yield6 servings

This impressive dish sounds far more complicated than it is. The oven does most of the work. Don't forget the sauce: the tang of the Dijon cream sauce is a welcome counter to the sweetness of the brandied fruit. Add a green salad (maybe some red potatoes?) and you have the perfect Sunday supper.

Ingredients

• ½ cup brandy
• 1 cup (6 ounces) mixed dried, pitted fruit (for example, apples, prunes, apricots, pears)
• 2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 boneless 3 1/2-pound pork loin, trimmed
• 8 slices (about 1/4 pound) bacon
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• ⅔ cup red wine
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, warm, but do not boil, the brandy. Place the fruit in a small bowl, cover with the brandy and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the brandy, and coarsely chop the fruit. Return the fruit to the bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of the sage and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme and season it lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the pork on a work surface. Using a long, round metal or wooden skewer about 3/4-inch thick, pierce a channel through the center of the loin. Stuff the fruit into the channel, using the skewer to pack it in. Season the loin lightly with salt and pepper and drape the bacon slices over it.
3. Use butcher's twine to tie the roast. Place the roast in a roasting pan fitted with a rack and roast for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue to roast until the pork is cooked but, when poked with a knife, the juices at the center still run slightly pink, about 1 hour more. Transfer the roast to a serving platter and allow to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, remove the rack and place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan juices and cook, stirring, until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved brandy and the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Whisk in the cream and mustard and continue to simmer until slightly thickened.
5. To serve, remove the twine from the roast, slice and serve with the cream sauce.

Have a great day