Mark Bittman’s Spring Dinner: An Effortless Menu for Two

This trio of pork roast, asparagus gratin and mocha mousse works for both formal soirées and relaxed gatherings

Mark Bittman and Kate Bittman,

AARP

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Published April 01, 2025

different spring dishes from chef mark bittman

Courtesy Mark Bittman; Romulo Yanes; Burcu Avsar and Zach DeSart; Kate Bittman

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Roast Pork With Herb Rub | Simplest Asparagus Gratin | Ultra-Rich Mocha Mousse

In an ideal world, you don’t need an excuse to roast a pork loin. But let’s face it, most of us aren’t coming home from work, by way of the butcher, on a random Tuesday and popping one in the oven (if you are, please get in touch; I’d like to come to your house for dinner). A pork loin veers into special-occasion territory, and whether that occasion happens to be a holiday (Passover and Easter are coming up) or just a nice spring Saturday with six or eight people that you like, it’s a dish worth making.

This roast pork dish is faster than anything you’d do in a slow cooker but features the same walk-away ease. You’ll season the outside simply, you can roast in advance if you’d like, and depending on how many people you’re serving, you may be able to nibble at the leftovers for the rest of the week (sandwiches for sure; tacos and burritos; bowls of rice, grains or beans; frittatas and scrambles; and last-minute additions to vegetable stir-fries, pastas or salads). To keep the pork from drying out, put it in an airtight container and chill in the coldest part of the fridge — or pop leftovers in the freezer for up to a couple months.

I’d love to suggest that you serve the pork with a simple and elegant asparagus gratin. Cover cooked asparagus with cheese, stick it under the broiler until the top is golden brown and crisp around the edges, and you have a fabulous side. Don’t like, or have, asparagus? Sub in green beans, fennel, leeks or spinach. It’s such a quick preparation that it’ll be no problem to serve it piping hot.

And I’ve got great news for what’s often my favorite part of the meal, dessert: You can make it the day before. It might even be better that way. This mocha mousse sounds (and tastes) fancy, but it’s lightning quick. If you feel like it, you might top it with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Roast Pork With Herb Rub

If you have leftovers from this Roast Pork with Herb Rub, use them to make an easy stir-fry the next day.

Romulo Yanes

Makes: 2 servings, with leftovers

Time: About 1 hour

You'll probably have enough roast pork left over here for another meal. Fortunately, it keeps well in the fridge for up to five days, and there are lots of ways to enjoy it. Just save any extra pork — and the sauce — in an airtight container. For a pork dip sandwich, slice thinly in any direction and return to the sauce with a couple tablespoons of water and a small splash of soy or Worcestershire sauce, and reheat everything on low in a covered dish in the microwave or a small pot on the stove. You can also cut the pork into bite-size bits and add to stir-fried broccoli, cabbage or green beans. Or toss the pieces and sauce with cooked rice, grain, noodles and vegetables for a quick bowl.

Ingredients

½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb leaves (like rosemary, oregano or thyme) or 1 teaspoon dried
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 small boneless pork loin roast (1 to 1½ pounds), tied or untied (or use 2 or 3 boneless pork loin chops, 1½ to 2 inches thick)
¾ cup dry white wine, chicken or vegetable stock, or water, or more as needed
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Heat the oven to 450°F. Combine the salt, pepper, herbs, sugar and garlic in a small bowl; rub the roast (or chops) all over with the mixture. Put the meat in a medium or large skillet and transfer to the oven. (If you’re using chops, put them in the skillet in a single layer.) Roast, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.

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Lower the heat to 325°F and pour ½ cup of the wine (or other liquid) over the roast. Continue to cook the roast, checking every 10 minutes or so and adding ¼ cup of the remaining liquid to the bottom of the pan each time. Once the pork’s exterior has crusted a bit, start brushing the meat with these pan juices whenever you check on the roast.

After 30 minutes at the lower temperature, check the roast (or chops) with a quick-read thermometer; insert it into the center of the meat in a couple different places to make sure you get an accurate reading. When the roast is ready, it will read 140°F for medium rare; it will rise another 5 degrees as it sits. (If you don’t have a quick-read thermometer, use a small knife to peek into the inside. For an interior that’s no longer pink inside, keep cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes.) Remove and transfer the meat to a platter or cutting board to rest.

Put the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. If there is at least about ½ cup liquid in it, leave it; if the pan is almost dry, add ½ cup liquid. Bring the juices to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the sauce is reduced to about ½ cup, stir in the butter to thicken the sauce a bit.

Slice the roast (or chops) crosswise into slices as thick as you like and serve the slices drizzled with the sauce. —Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics

Simplest Asparagus Gratin

This asparagus gratin is an easy way to add elegance to your plate.

Burcu Avsar and Zach DeSart

Makes: 2 servings

Time: 10 minutes, with cooked asparagus

Ingredients

1½ teaspoons butter or olive oil for the pan
12 ounces cooked asparagus spears (or slices)
Salt and pepper
½ cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs (or use panko or other coarse store-bought crumbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Pinch paprika (optional)

Directions

Turn on the broiler; adjust the rack to about 4 inches from the heat source. Grease a shallow medium baking pan, skillet or gratin dish with the butter. (It must be broiler-proof.)

Put the asparagus in the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with the cheese, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Sprinkle with a few more grinds of pepper, the parsley, and the paprika if you like, and serve. —Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Mocha Mousse

This Mocha Mousse is fast to make — and a decadent way to end your meal.

Kate Bittman

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 20 minutes, plus time to chill

There will definitely be mousse left over, which I count as a big bonus since it refrigerates well for a day or freezes to eat like ice cream for a few weeks. It’s great spread on French toast or graham crackers, or swirled into ice cream or raspberry or other sorbet.

And if you’re concerned about eating raw eggs, you can substitute pasteurized yolks and dehydrated egg whites in steps 1 and 2. For equivalents, follow the package directions.

Ingredients

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons rum, bourbon, Grand Marnier or other liqueur (optional)
2 tablespoons very strong brewed coffee (espresso is best and decaf is fine)
3 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons cream, very cold

Directions

Use a microwave or double boiler to melt the chocolate, butter and liqueur if you’re using it; check and stir it frequently, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Stir in the coffee, and set the mixture aside until the bowl is cool enough to hold, then whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla and let sit while you beat the egg whites and cream.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until they hold stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, using clean beaters, beat the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until it holds soft peaks.

Stir a couple of spoonfuls of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using thorough but gentle strokes. Fold in the cream until just combined, so that there are no streaks of white, then refrigerate until chilled. If you’re in a hurry, divide the mousse among 4 to 6 cups; it will chill much faster. Serve within a day. —Recipe from How to Bake Everything

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Kate Bittman has worked in publishing for 16 years, including Simon & Schuster, The New Yorker, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and ran her own PR venture before her dad, Mark Bittman, roped her into working with him full-time in 2020. She oversees all the content for his site, The Bittman Project, produces and cohosts the podcast Food with Mark Bittman, writes as much as possible, and has never been happier professionally than she is now.