When you slice pork tenderloin into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and pound them flat, they cook in less than two minutes, so you can dinner on the table in a hurry. In this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated, the pork is simmered in a sauce of fennel, garlic, orange juice, olives and parsley. Tasty!
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Be sure to use fresh orange juice, a stock with no additives (I use Imagine Organic brand) and olives with no chemicals added (I use President’s Choice garlic-stuffed olives).
Cut tenderloin into slices and pound flat
Sear the pork about 80 seconds on each side
Saute the fennel
The sauce cooks quickly
Sauteed Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Fennel and Green Olives in Orange Pan Sauce
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) table salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground black pepper
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound/500 g), silver skin removed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices, each pounded to ¾ inch (1.9 cm) with flat side of chef’s knife blade
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
½ medium bulb fennel, sliced thin (about 1 cup/250 ml)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon/15 ml))
1/3 cup (75 ml) orange juice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) orange zest from 1 large orange
2/3 cup (150 ml) chicken stock or low-salt canned broth
¼ cup (50 ml) pitted green olives, sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Preparation:
Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of pork slices. Heat oil until shimmering in heavy-bottomed pan, at least 10 inches (25 cm) across bottom, over medium-high heat, swirling pan to distribute oil. Working in batches of no more than six slices to avoid overcrowding, sear medallions without moving them until brown on one side, about 80 seconds (oil should sizzle, but not smoke). Turn medallions with tongs to avoid scraping off the sear; sear until meat is mostly opaque at sides, firm to the touch, and well browned, about 80 seconds. Transfer pork to plate.
Heat oil in pan in which pork was cooked over medium heat, swirling to distribute. Add fennel; sauté until softened and starting to color, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute more. Add juice; boil, scraping pan bottom with wooden spatula to loosen browned bits, until liquid reduces to a glaze, about 2 ½ minutes. Increase heat to high and add stock or broth and any accumulated pork juices; boil until liquid reaches consistency of maple syrup, about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium; return pork to pan with zest, olives, and parsley, turning meat to coat. Simmer to heat pork thoroughly and blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pork to serving plate and spoon sauce over meat. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4.
From Cook’s Illustrated
This delicious baked pasta from the April 2014 issue of Food and Wine features a sauce made of roasted tomatoes, garlic, thyme and basil. The roasted tomatoes are added to sautéed onion, crispy pancetta and olives. Meanwhile, roast some broccoli. Cook the rigatoni and stir into the sauce, along with the broccoli, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and more fresh basil. This would be a great dish for Sunday brunch or a weeknight supper.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Use butter with only a single ingredient: cream. I used nitrite-free bacon instead of pancetta and President’s Choice garlic-stuffed olives, which are all-natural. Check the labels on the ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano to make sure they don’t contain colour or artificial ingredients.
Place fresh herbs on tomatoes prior to roasting
Roast the broccoli
The roasted tomatoes form the basis of the sauce
Combine sauce, broccoli and ricotta
Place in baking dish and sprinkle with Parmigiano
Baked rigatoni with broccoli, green olives and pancetta
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 ½ pounds (680 g) plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 thyme sprigs
½ cup (125 ml) torn basil leaves, plus 1 basil sprig
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds (680 g) broccoli, cut into small florets and stems reserved for another use
One 4-ounce (113 g) slice of pancetta, finely diced
1 large onion, very finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, halved
1 pound (454 g) rigatoni
2 cups (500 ml) fresh ricotta cheese
¾ cup (175 ml) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425° F (232° C) and butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 cm) ceramic or glass baking dish. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, garlic, thyme and basil sprigs with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until softened and browned in spots; let cool. Discard the thyme and basil sprigs and coarsely chop the tomatoes and garlic, reserving any juices.
Meanwhile, on another rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli florets with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and nearly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives, tomatoes and garlic and the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of butter; keep warm.
In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the rigatoni until al dente. Drain, reserving 1¼ (300 ml) cups of the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the skillet along with the reserved cooking water, broccoli, ricotta, torn basil and ½ (125 ml) cup of the Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) of Parmigiano on top and bake for 15 minutes, until bubbling and browned on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
From the April 2014 issue of Food and Wine
