Capers and olives are a combination I never tire of.
Sometimes I add lemon; sometimes white wine; sometimes neither….
It has a fresh zing that perks up the taste-buds – something most people can use to cut all the holiday sweetness this time of year.
This is a dish that cooks quickly enough for a fast dinner on a busy night but has enough flavor to serve at a dinner party – impromptu or not.
Pork Tenderloin with Capers and Olives
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin, 14oz (420gr), cut into 1″ (2.5cm) slices
- 3 large shallots, sliced
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1/4 cup kalamata or dry-cured Greek olives
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken broth
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs maizena (cornstarch) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each.
- Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes longer.
- Add broth, white wine, olives and capers, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Uncover, increase heat and add maizena, stirring until sauce has thickened.
- Serve.
Saturday was a beautiful day…. and there was no sign of the farmer. I decided to go out and inspect the lake, with camera, of course.
The farmer had plowed the field on Friday, so I walked down to the narrow end of the lake to get on the dike they’d built. I was standing in the overflow trench they’d dug on this end. As you can see there is even a bit of water seeping in. We haven’t had any rain in over a week.
They had to build up the far side of the lake by quite a bit – as you can tell by the cow standing on the other side in the pasture.
I knew the field wasn’t flat, but until they started leveling for the lake I had not idea just how uneven it was. I’m standing on the dike on the far side of the lake for this photo.
I couldn’t resist taking one of our house….
This is the widest part of the lake, directly opposite our house. I’m guessing it’s at least 25 feet deep.
The dike I was walking on is wider than our lane and perfectly packed down and smooth. Maybe he’ll plant grass and we can use it for summer picnics (Ha!)
Finally, the pit that we were wondering about:
It’s for the fish.
According to my neighbor who had it directly from the farmer’s neighbor’s father, there is a rule in France that if you build a lake on your farm you have to put fish in it.
If you put fish in your lake you have to have a place for the fish to go in case the lake dries up.
So a pit is dug in the deepest part of the lake and lined with concrete so the fish have a refuge of last resort.
Has to make dinner excessively easy for the herons as well.
That’s it. The lake is done and we wait for the winter rains to fill it.
Love your pork tenderloin dish Katie – quick and easy too. I must remember to pick up more pork tenderloin for the freezer – we have not had it in a while and your dish is giving me a huge craving!
I realize France has many rules. The one for the fish has me shaking my head. Who comes up with this stuff? I bet it will be a pretty lake to look at from your balcony.
Fish! How quaint. If you build it, they will swim…
I have to do this recipe. It looks just yummy. 🙂
Ina, I stock up whenever it’s on special – which is often here. The French do love their pork lol
Phoenicia….. they don’t wan’t the poor fish to suffer…. Too many bureaucrats with too much time? Peut etre? And should sound pretty when all the frogs get established.
nighstmusic, I think it’s too help keep it clean – stagnant water and all. Also, we don’t like to miss a chance to grow food 😉