Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check your spices for colour or anti-caking agents. I used a red wine from with a sulfite level of lower than 10 parts per million, Imagine organic chicken stock, butter containing only cream and a balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites.

Rub spices into pork tenderloin

Place seared pork on sauteed red cabbage and apple

Reduce sauce while pork rests

Pork tenderloin with red cabbage

4 cups (1 L) red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 tsp (5 ml) ground fennel seeds

1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander

Pinch cinnamon

1 lb. (500 g) pork tenderloin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 apple, peeled and diced

½ cup (125 ml) red wine, divided in half

3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup plus ¼ cup (310 ml) chicken stock

1 tbsp (15 ml) butter

2 tsp (10 ml) fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add cabbage and bring back to a boil. Boil 1 minute, drain and refresh the cabbage with cold water. Drain well and set aside.

Combine fennel, coriander and cinnamon. Sprinkle over pork tenderloin, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold pork, or cut the meat into large sections to fit into the pan. Add pork and sear on all sides until browned, about 2 minutes a side. Remove pork and add apple and cabbage.

Sauté until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of wine, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Add pepper flakes and ¼ cup (60 ml) of stock and return pork to the pan, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and cook tenderloin for 10 to 15 minutes, or until a touch of pink is left in the centre.

Remove pork and cabbage from the pan. Let pork rest 5 minutes.

To make the sauce, add remaining vinegar, wine and stock to the pan. Reduce on high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in butter to finish.

Slice pork and serve with the red cabbage and apple mixture. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

From Lucy Waverman