Thursday, Sep. 10, 2009

At home at Hennessy's

Chef brings pork tenderloin to the table in 30 minutes

Back to school time can mean no time for cooking.

But a quick-to-fix meal doesn’t have to be blah. It can even be gourmet.

This month’s Dishing with the Chef visited Hennessy’s, a landmark restaurant on Columbia’s Main Street for the past 25 years. Chef Alan Boyle, who has been at the restaurant for four years, prepared marinated pork tenderloin with pesto-roasted potatoes.

“This is especially good for people to do at home,” Boyle said. “You can do a little prep work and it can go from prep to on the table in 30 minutes.”

It starts with the marinade.

The pork loin is marinated in Hennessy’s own dressing — May’s Unique Vinaigrette (which is sold at the restaurant, online and in stores in 23 states, maysdressing.com). The pork can be marinated for anywhere from two hours to overnight, but should not be left for more than 24 hours, he said.

Next comes the potatoes.

“I’m not a big fan of roasted potatoes, so I do them a little different,” Boyle said.

He cuts red potatoes into quarters, then places them in a pot and covers them with cold water. He brings the water to a boil and then turns it off and lets them rest.

“If you overcook them they get starchy or they’re like mashed potatoes,” he said.

Once they are cool, he tosses them with pesto. (He makes his own, but said pre-made pesto will work, too.) Next they are placed on a sheet pan, topped with thinly sliced red peppers and onions, and cooked for about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting, he seasons the pork liberally with salt and pepper and then cooks it on the grill until the internal temperature is 135 degrees. Once it is fully cooked, be sure to let it rest for about 10 minutes before you slice it.

Boyle grew up in Chapin and started working in restaurants in Charleston and Columbia after high school. He eventually attended the French Culinary Institute in New York before moving back to Columbia and Hennessy’s.

The restaurant’s original owner, Sharon May, still runs Hennessy’s, which marked its 25th anniversary last December.

“The perception is this is a special-occasion restaurant; it’s not,” she said.

She said the menu has changed slightly to include a few lower priced items (the dinner menu now has a veal meatloaf for $13.95, a burger for $12.95 and fried catfish for $15.95). The most popular dinner items are the mint pesto crusted rack of lamb, caramelized sea scallops, jumbo lump crabcakes and shellfish and grits.

As for Boyle’s favorite dish on the menu? “I don’t have a favorite, really. I’m happy with everything on the menu.”

ABOUT HENNESSY’S

Address: 1649 Main St., Columbia

Hours: Open for lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. weekdays. Dinner, 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 6-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Menu: Dinner entrees include: mint pesto crusted rack of lamb ($24.95); caramelized sea scallops ($24.95); jumbo lump crabcakes ($19.95); veal meatloaf ($13.95)

Note: No children under age 6 allowed after 6 p.m.

Contact: hennessyssc.com. Salad dressing Web site, maysdressing.com

Also: Hennessy’s is a member of Columbia Originals, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Columbia’s independent restaurant scene. See columbiaoriginals.com

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Once a month, we’re going into the kitchen with a local chef to learn about a favorite, easy-to prepare dish.

If you are a chef who would like to cook for us, or if you would like to nominate someone, e-mail Megan Sexton at msexton@thestate.com or call (803) 771-8418.

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