Even though we’re no longer in the suit and briefcase trenches I still like easy mid-week dinners.
I’m happy to spend a few hours in the kitchen on the weekends making something a bit more complicated, but, unless it’s hands-off, in the oven, cooking on it’s own, I like week-day dinners to be faster.
Old habits die hard…..
Pork tenderloin suits a fast dinner perfectly. It cooks quickly and stays tender and moist.
Pork Tenderloin and Shallots in Red Wine
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin, 14oz (420gr), cut in 1″ (2.5cm) slices
- 6 – 8 shallots, peeled, cut in half the long way if large
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry-cured Greek olives, pitted, cut in half
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) red wine
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Heat oil in large skillet. Add shallots and sauté 5 minutes.
- Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add pork and brown, turning once.
- Add garlic and sauté briefly.
- Return shallots, to skillet, add wine and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- After add olives and simmer 5 minutes longer.
- To finish:
- Remove pork to a platter.
- Remove and discard bay leaves.
- Increase heat, add cornstarch and stir until thickened.
- Spoon sauce and shallots on pork and serve.
Winter has arrived.
Late by northern US standards, but here at last.
I had to get my winter jacket out this morning to walk the dogs.
It was 75F over the weekend…. lovely late November weather.
Monday morning was (to quote my neighbor) fresh. It was also a bit windy.
By Tuesday morning it was 42F.
Tuesday morning was also the day our power was off.
Big, old stone farmhouses are very dark inside on gray, wintry mornings when there’s no electricity.
As we had a few days warning about the power, I went off for a walk with my neighbor and mon mari went off to buy building supplies to finish the last room upstairs.
We both got home early afternoon to a very cold house.
Mon mari built a fire in the big fireplace and I lit one in the kitchen stove for the first time this season.
Winter is here.
We might even get a (gasp!) frost tonight.
Gosh I wish I had this tenderloin waiting for us at the house … where it’s 30° and soon to be 22° tonight. We’ve already had snow on the ground and more on the way Monday.
Oh, this looks lovely! I love pork with onions/leeks/shallots and garlic. That really brings the flavor of the pork out for me rather than using fruit. Blech… Long story, but I don’t do meat and fruit together.
We’ve already had a couple of inches in Michigan though nothing like what they got along the east coast! But it’s been cold. Very cold. I’ve been wearing my down jacket for several weeks now,
Sounds like the perfect weather for comfort food !!
Tanna, I do not miss the cold – or the snow. If we’re lucky we’ll skip snow again this year.
nightsmusic, I don’t like fruit with meat, either… well, other than lemon.
kate, it’s starting… are you still having nice weather?
We had a very abrupt change from warm weather to actual frost and snow. It is, indeed, time for winter dishes. I just made a lentil soup…
bc – love lentil soup…. I need to make some now that you put the thought there LOL
I made it with some (green?) cabbage and it was indeed delicious.
Betty, I can’t wait until my winter squashes are done and I can buy some other vegetables LOL. Like green cabbage (which I love)