Friday, October 30, 2009

Porky Pig

On Thursday night, I got home from class and had one of my favorite meals that I make.  The dish is simple enough, generally takes around thirty to forty-five minutes, and is unbelievably delicious.  It is a nice way to end the week.  Be very jealous that my week ends on a Thursday.  Feel free to make fun of me later though since you have a job and I have all these goofy papers to write.  Anyway, here is the recipe for this winning dish.


Recipe (serves 2)
2 tbsp butter, cut into 1 tbsp chunks
1 lb pork tenderloin, unflavored
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/4 tbsp rosemary or thyme
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 cup canned cranberry sauce, whole berries
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
kosher salt
pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large saute pan over medium heat
3. While butter is melting, salt and pepper all sides of the pork
4. When butter is hot, put the pork in the pan and brown on all sides (about 1 minute per side)
5. Put pan in the oven for 13-15 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 150 when put in the thickest part of the pork
6. While pork is browning, begin making the sauce by melting the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat
7. When butter is melted, add the onion and rosemary or thyme.  Cook for 3 minutes until onions are softened.
8. Add the chicken stock, cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar, chile powder, and cayenne pepper to the onions.
9. Cook the sauce for about 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
10. When meat reaches 150 degrees, tent the meat with foil and pour the pan scraping into the cranberry sauce.  Cook the sauce for a couple minutes longer until re-thickened.  Salt and pepper sauce to taste.

I like to serve this pork with Green Beans Almondine.  I like how the green and red look on the plate and the subtle almond flavor plays nicely off the bold cranberry sauce.  This recipe is quick too, so here it is.

2 cups green beans, frozen
1/3 cup almonts, sliced
2 tbsp butter, cut in half
juice from 1/2 orange
1 tspn orange zest

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat.
2. When butter is hot, add almonds and cook until fragrant
3. Add green beans to pan an cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly until all green beans are no longer frozen.
4. Remove pan from heat and squeeze the juice over the green beans.
5. Add remaining buter to hot green beans an toss until melted.
6. Sprinkle orange zest over green beans.  Cover tightly with foil for a few more minutes if the butter is not melted.  Serve.

Easy as pie.  Mmmmm pie.

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