Back and Refreshed
Back from a needed visit with A and little F in PrettyLittleTown, USA. Thank goodness for them both. And thank goodness for tapas.
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the backlog of recipes to be posted, but I'm trying not to let it get me down! Things were quite busy in the week preceding my trip. Work, errands, a myriad of doctor's appointments (the old injury), and Our Hero's monopolization of the computer (for good reason) kept me from updating.
But here I am! I head back to work tomorrow, so spent much of today at various doctor's appointments, seeing our new apartment (which will have a dishwasher!), and stopping by the grocery and post office. I am resisting the impulse to check my email, which is likely full of work-related queries.
While in PrettyLittleTown, A and I cooked dinner in her well-equipped kitchen. A's request was for a pork recipe, as she's as new to the "other" white meat as I. We made an extraordinarily flavorful recipe from Eating Well (to which I now subscribe, having just cancelled my subscription to Everyday Food), pairing tender pork medallions with rich port, sweet figs, fresh thyme, and onions. I continue to be surprised with the flavor and texture of pork tenderloin, an incredibly lean cut of meat. Maybe that's why I can't stop posting pork recipes! A and I had a very civilised dinner of pork; double-baked sweet potatoes; and green salad with pears, pecans, and roquefort. Additionally, we enjoyed some criminally stinky muenster throughout the visit. She is my sweetie. Grab your best friend and enjoy this dinner with lots of leftovers!
Pork Medallions with Fig and Port Wine Sauce
16 small dried black Mission figs, stemmed
1 cup tawny (not ruby) port
2 t. plus 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or stock
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
Pork Medallions with Fig and Port Wine Sauce
16 small dried black Mission figs, stemmed
1 cup tawny (not ruby) port
2 t. plus 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or stock
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb., trimmed and sliced into 1-inch rounds.
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb., trimmed and sliced into 1-inch rounds.
1/4 cup flour (we used oat flour, as it was around)
Place figs in a small microwavable bowl and cover with port. Cover the bowl and microwave on High for 3 minutes. (We approximated this on the stovetop.) Heat 2 t. oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add broth, thyme, bay leaf and the fig-port mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce by half, 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking to remove excess.
Heat remaining T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add medallions and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Add the reserved fig-port sauce; bring to a simmer and cook until the pork is done, but still a little pink in the center, about 2 minutes. The sauce should be syrupy. If not, remove the medallions with a slotted spoon to a platter and keep warm. Boil the sauce until syrupy. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Serve.
Place figs in a small microwavable bowl and cover with port. Cover the bowl and microwave on High for 3 minutes. (We approximated this on the stovetop.) Heat 2 t. oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add broth, thyme, bay leaf and the fig-port mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce by half, 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking to remove excess.
Heat remaining T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add medallions and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Add the reserved fig-port sauce; bring to a simmer and cook until the pork is done, but still a little pink in the center, about 2 minutes. The sauce should be syrupy. If not, remove the medallions with a slotted spoon to a platter and keep warm. Boil the sauce until syrupy. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Serve.
1 comment:
A here. Listen, you may not be able to tell from the picture, but this was seriously a beautiful dinner. I have been eating the leftovers ever since. I only wish Ms. Wellunderstood could be here, too.
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