America’s Test Kitchen just put out its latest cookbook, Dinner Tonight, and it is filled with creative recipes that can be on the table in 45 minutes or less. In this recipe, pork tenderloin, croutons and vegetables are roasted on a sheet pan for 20 minutes. While they are roasting, make a dressing of oil, vinegar, mustard, capers and their brine and garlic and toss with cucumber, cherry tomatoes and basil. Remove the pan from the oven and let the pork rest for 10 minutes. Add the croutons and cooked veggies to the other vegetables and toss to combine. Top the salad with sliced pork and serve. Cook’s note: I used zucchini instead of summer squash and omitted the basil.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
I used Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar, which has no added sulfites, President’s Choice Old-Fashion Dijon mustard and an Ace Bakery baguette. Unico capers are additive-free.
Pork tenderloin and panzanella salad
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon (15 ml) packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cornstarch
2 (1-pound/454 g) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 (12-inch/30-cm) baguette, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch- (1.25-cm) wide strips
1 yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) capers, rinsed, plus 1 tablespoon brine
1 garlic clove, minced
½ seedless English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch (1.25-cm) pieces
6 ounces (170 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped fresh basil
Preparation:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Whisk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mustard, sugar, and cornstarch in bowl until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
Pat tenderloins dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place tenderloins in centre of rimmed baking sheet (it’s OK if they are touching) and brush tops and sides with the vinegar mixture.
Toss baguette, onion, bell pepper, squash, ¼ cup (60 ml) oil, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper in large bowl until baguette and vegetables are well coated with oil. Distribute vegetable mixture around tenderloins on sheet. Roast until pork registers 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 20 minutes, stirring vegetable mixture halfway through roasting.
Meanwhile, whisk capers and brine, garlic, ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml) salt, ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml) pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mustard, and remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) oil together in now-empty bowl.
Transfer tenderloins to carving board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. While tenderloins rest, add cucumber, tomatoes, 6 tablespoons basil and vegetable mixture to bowl with caper dressing and toss to combine.
Transfer salad to serving platter. Slice tenderloins ½ inch (1.25-cm) thick and arrange over salad. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) basil. Serves 4-6.
From Dinner Tonight
