News
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Rich flavor belies quick, healthful pork entree
Associated Press
Published January 2, 2008
Elegant, fast and healthful. You can have it all in one meal.
Dinners that are special enough for the good china and silverware often take the whole day to prepare, and all too often are made rich-tasting with lots of unwanted fat.
But with the right ingredients and techniques, it's easy to create an impressive and healthful meal.
Medallions of pork tenderloin with dried apples and plums is a perfect example. The dish can be prepared in about 25 minutes with only about 10 minutes of prep, and you can do the whole thing with only a cutting board, a knife and a lidded saute pan.
Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for the healthful cook because it's low in fat, and when cut into medallions it cooks quickly.
In this recipe, the seasoned pork is flash-seared in a hot pan. Canola oil is best for this method because it can be heated to high temperatures before it begins to smoke.
After the medallions are browned, the pan is deglazed with fat-free chicken broth. Then dried apples, dried plums, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar are added.
The concentrated flavors of the dried fruits are the secret to the richness of this dish. Plus, as they cook down, all the pectin they contain melds with the other ingredients to make a velvety, mahogany-toned sauce.
To complete this meal, consider serving steamed French green beans with a drizzle of roasted hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil and some whole-wheat couscous to soak up all the sumptuous sauce.
- - -
Medallions of Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit
1 pound pork tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons canola oil
14 1/2-ounce can fat-free chicken broth
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried apples
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted dried plums
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Cut the tenderloin crosswise on the diagonal into 3/4-inch medallions. Season both sides of each with salt and pepper.
- In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the oil on high until nearly smoking. Add the medallions and cook until well browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- To the skillet, add the broth, apples, plums, mustard, vinegar and thyme. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the fruits have softened and the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes.
- Return the pork to the sauce and simmer until the pork is no longer pink at the center, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional information per serving: 322 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated), 28g protein, 3g fiber, 117mg sodium.
[Last modified December 31, 2007, 14:56:59]
Share your thoughts on this story
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Letter to the editor
