George Mendes brings pork tenderloin to THE Dish

Chef George Mendes' rustic yet refined cuisine at Manhattan restaurant Aldea has earned a one-star Michelin Guide rating for the past five years and has received rave reviews from The New York Times, the Daily News and Bloomberg.

Mendes, a first-generation American born to Portuguese parents, has used the elaborate festive meals of his upbringing to influence his award-winning career and restaurant.

Here's how to cook a few of his signature recipes, including marinated grilled pork tenderloin, seared scallops with apple-watercress sauce, brussels sprouts with quince and bacon, warm smashed potatoes, heirloom tomato salad with black olives and herbs and cinnamon-sugar ''doughnuts."

Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

My mom's go-to marinade for meat is dead simple and delicious. Even though there's only a splash of vinho verde, the aromas of the wine really come through the smoky char of the meat.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

extra-virgin olive oil- ¼ cup (60 ml), plus more as needed

dry white vinho verde - 2 tablespoons

fresh thyme- 4 sprigs

fresh bay leaf- 1, thinly sliced at an angle

crushed red chile flakes- ½ teaspoon

pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)- ½ teaspoon

pork tenderloin- 1 whole (¾ pound/340 g)

kosher salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

In a large dish, whisk together the oil, vinho verde, thyme, bay leaf, chile flakes, and pimentón. Cut the pork into 1½-inch- (3.75-cm-) thick steaks at a 45-degree angle. Cutting the meat on the bias helps keep it tender. Add the meat to the marinade and turn well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 5 hours.

When you're ready to cook, prepare a grill by heating a mixture of all natural briquettes and hardwood lump charcoal to medium-high heat. Take the pork out of the marinade, picking off the herbs, and transfer the marinade to a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. The mixture will look broken. Remove from the heat.

Season the pork generously with salt and drizzle with oil. Grill until charred, fl ip, and char the other side, about 5 minutes. Flip again, brush on some of the cooked marinade and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, then repeat with the other side. Grill until the pork is still a little pink in the center, 10 to 12 minutes total.

Spoon any remaining cooked marinade over the pork and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Seared Scallops with Apple-Watercress Sauce

Fresh and green, this sauce is the perfect accent to simply seared sweet scallops. It's also great with Octopus Confit (page 61) or seared shrimp.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

extra-virgin olive oil- as needed

white onion- ½ medium, very thinly sliced

kosher salt and freshly

ground white pepper- to taste

dry white vinho verde- ½ cup (120 ml)

watercress- 1 bunch (4 ounces/112 g)

spinach leaves-1 cup (1 ounce/30 g) packed

apple balsamic vinegar- 1 tablespoon

Ultra-Tex (optional; see Note)- 1 teaspoon

sea scallops- 20 large, tough muscles removed

PROCEDURE:

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Coat with oil, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Sweat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Deglaze with the vinho verde, stirring until the liquid evaporates.

Transfer the onion mixture to a blender, along with the watercress, spinach, vinegar, Ultra-Tex (if using), ¼ cup (60 ml) water, and a pinch of salt. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in enough oil to create an emulsion, tasting occasionally to determine the amount you want. Season with salt.

With a sharp paring knife, score both sides of each scallop in a crosshatch pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Lightly coat the bottom with oil and heat until lightly smoking. Add the scallops in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook, pressing flat with a spatula, until brown, about 1 minute per side.

Divide the watercress sauce among four serving plates and top each with 5 scallops. Serve immediately.

NOTE Ultra-Tex is available through professional cooking supply stores. It helps the sauce here emulsify and gives it body.

Brussels Sprouts with Quince and Bacon

In early fall, I like to make the most of the short quince season. The fuzzy, squat, pear-shaped fruit tastes great with savory, smoky bacon and earthy Brussels sprouts.

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS: sugar- 1 cup (200 g) kosher salt- as needed quince- 1, peeled, quartered, and cored Brussels sprouts- 4 cups (350 g), cored and leaves separated smoked slab bacon, preferably Benton's 2 ounces (55 g), cut into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes fresh thyme- ¼ teaspoon Maldon sea salt- to taste lemon wedge- for serving PROCEDURE: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 2 cups (480 ml) water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the quince, cover, and simmer gently until just tender, about 15 minutes. You want the quince to be soft but not mushy; it should still hold its shape. Transfer to a cutting board with a slotted spoon, let cool, and cut into ⅓-inch (8-mm) dice. Reserve the simple syrup for another use. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water. Heat a large saucepot of water to a boil and s 1 minute. Drain and transfer to the ice water. When cool, transfer to paper towels to drain well. In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium-low heat, 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the Brussels sprouts leaves. Cook, tossing, until the leaves brown in spots, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and toss in the diced quince. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the thyme. Lightly season with Maldon salt and squeeze lemon juice on top right before serving.

Cinnamon-Sugar ''Doughnuts''

Sonhos translates as "dreams," and that's how ethereal these are. Straight out of the fryer, these crisp puffs are light as air. At Aldea, we always serve them with sauces for dipping--the perennial classic caramel, then seasonal specialties ranging from rhubarb sauce to lemon curd. But they're also delicious alone with their cinnamon-sugar coating.

SERVES 8 INGREDIENTS: sugar- ¼ cup plus ¼ teaspoon (55 g) unsalted butter- ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour- 1 cup (150 g) eggs- 4 large ground cinnamon- 1 tablespoon canola oil- as needed Salted Caramel Sauce- for serving Concord Grape Jam- for serving Chocolate-Hazelnut Sauce- for serving

PROCEDURE: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup (240 ml) water, ¼ teaspoon of the sugar, and the butter to a boil over high heat. Add the flour and stir continuously and vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring vigorously, until the dough starts to puff and a thin layer of dough sticks to the bottom of the pan. The dough will be very stiff; just keep working it. Transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed just to break up the ball. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Raise the speed to high and beat, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the eggs are fully incorporated and there are no clumps, about 1 minute. Don't overbeat the dough; the bowl should still be warm. Transfer the dough to a container, let cool slightly, and refrigerate until chilled. When you're ready to serve, combine the cinnamon and remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar in a medium bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches (7.5 cm). Heat to 300°F (150°C). Using a teaspoon cookie scoop or measuring teaspoon, carefully drop a few balls of dough into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pan. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature. Cook until the sonhos float, puff, and are golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Immediately transfer to the cinnamonsugar and gently toss to coat. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve the sonhos hot with the sauces.

Salted Caramel Sauce

On one of our restaurant feedback cards, a woman wrote, "I love this sauce so much, I want to bathe in it." Weird, but I get what she's saying. It's that good. MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (480 ML) Ingredients: sugar- 1¼ cups (250 g) glucose (optional)- 1 tablespoon heavy cream- ¾ cup (180 ml) kosher salt- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter- 2 tablespoons, cut in pieces, softened Procedure: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, 5 tablespoons (75 ml) water, and the glucose, if using. Bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture is amber. Reduce the heat to low and carefully and slowly whisk in the cream. The mixture will bubble up. Continue whisking until well combined. Whisk in the salt. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. When lukewarm, stir in the butter, a little at a time, until well combined. Serve the caramel at room temperature. The caramel can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Warm Smashed Potatoes

On every family-style platter in Portugal, whether it's loaded with grilled seafood or meat, smashed disks of potato sit at the bottom, soaking up all the juices. Sometimes they come on the side too, slick with fruity olive oil. Their thin skins crisp and brown after a turn on a hot grill and give way to moist, tender flesh.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

small Yukon gold potatoes- 16

garlic cloves- 2, smashed

fresh thyme- 7 sprigs

fresh rosemary- 4 sprigs, snipped into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

fresh bay leaves- 3, notches torn every ½ inch (12 mm)

kosher salt- 2 teaspoons

extra-virgin olive oil- as needed

fresh parsley leaves- 3 tablespoons, finely chopped

fleur de sel- for serving

PROCEDURE:

Prepare a grill by heating a mixture of all-natural briquettes and hardwood lump charcoal until very hot.

Put the potatoes in a saucepan just big enough to hold them in one layer. They should have enough space to move a little. Add enough water to cover the potatoes, then add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and kosher salt.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are soft enough to mush if you press one with your fi nger, about 30 minutes. (Watch out--they're hot!) Keep adjusting the heat as you simmer to maintain slow bubbles on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a plate and let them cool a little. Discard the garlic, herbs, and cooking liquid.

Gently smash each potato to flatten into a thick disk. Lightly coat in oil, then grill, turning once, until charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and very gently toss with the parsley and some oil and fleur de sel.

VARIATIONS

Skillet smashed potatoes you can also finish this in a skillet: heat a large sauté pan over high heat and coat the bottom with a little oil. Add the smashed potatoes in a single layer and brown, turning once.

Rich smashed potatoes use potatoes confit (page 195), and either grill or sauté them after smashing.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Black Olives and Herbs

Basil's a must for ripe summer tomatoes, but mint also brings out their complex sweetness. So does a high-quality fruity olive oil.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

heirloom tomatoes- 2½ pounds (1.2 kg), a mix of colors, cored and cut into ½-inch (12-mm) slices

pitted Kalamata olives- 14, halved lengthwise

extra-virgin olive oil- to taste

fi g or balsamic vinegar- to taste

fresh mint leaves- 1 tablespoon

fresh basil leaves- ½ tablespoon

Maldon sea salt or fleur de sel- to taste

freshly ground white pepper- to taste

PROCEDURE:

Arrange the tomatoes and olives on a serving platter. Generously drizzle oil over the tomatoes until they're shiny and well coated. Add about half the amount of vinegar by dropping it on top to color the plate a bit. I use a little eye dropper bottle, but you can just put your thumb against the vinegar bottle's opening to add the vinegar by drops.

Scatter the mint and basil on top, then season with salt and pepper.