Raspberry Balsamic Pork Medallions

How is it that life is so busy and you don’t think that you can squeeze in anything else, and then it heats up outside and you become even busier? I have so many great recipes and stories for you I just can’t get an extra hour to sit down and share them. A few things I hope to share with you soon is S’mores Cupcakes, Apple Pie, and a review of the amazing cooking class I took at Central Market with the chef from Nona Tata. I’ll get this to you …no worries.

I do feel like I have been sharing a lot of dessert recipes (baking is my favorite), so I am trying to get some great dinner ideas out to you. Tonight for dinner I had planned to make a pork loin with feta cheese and sundried tomatoes. I made this once before and it was really good. But, on the way home from the office I decided I wanted something a little different. Once I got home and after I let the dog out and watered a few plants I began to dig through my fridge. “Hmm…what would be good with pork” I thought. What I came across was an oldish, but almost entirely full, jar of raspberry preserves.

I love strawberry jam for my toast in the mornings (the mornings before South Beach Diet when I ate carbs as soon as I sprung from my bed). I once grabbed the first jar of red jam at Wal-Mart and realized as soon as I got home that it was raspberry, which isn’t really my favorite, hence the nearly full jar.

Upon seeing this jar today I had a great idea for my pork loin. What would pork medallions taste like covered in a raspberry balsamic sauce? I had to try Raspberry Balsamic Pork Medallions to see.

To start I cut my pork loin into half inch slices and then in half. I got my pan super hot with oil and added my pork. This splattered a lot and did require a little extra scrubbing after dinner. Be sure to watch out for splattering oil. I then sprinkled it with salt and pepper and a little nutmeg. I browned my meat on both sides for about five minutes total and removed to a plate. With my oil hot I added three garlic cloves. When my cloves become fragrant I added in a little flour and let brown. The flour helped my sauce to thicken without spending an hour hunched over the stove. Then I added my raspberry preserves, balsamic vinegar, and cooking sherry. I let it cook over high and let it simmer for a good three to five minutes, until it became thick and nearly syrupy. At this point I added my meat back in, turned the heat to low, and covered and let it simmer for about five to ten minutes, or until my husband was done mowing the lawn.

I served my pork medallions over brown rice and added a little extra sauce. This turned out surprisingly well. The sauce was a little sweet, but toned down by the vinegar. You will like this recipe, but it is also very versatile. If you want to give it a little Asian flair try using orange marmalade, rice vinegar, and adding a little ginger. Mix it up and see what you like. Happy eats!

Raspberry Balsamic Pork Medallions

Ingredients:

1 24 oz pork tenderloin

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Dash of nutmeg

½ Cup raspberry preserves

¼ Cup balsamic vinegar

¼ Cup cooking sherry

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of flour

Directions:

Cut pork loin into half inch wide pieces. Cut in half again. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add pork to oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Brown on each side, about five minutes. Remove from heat and set aside
While pork cooks combine preserves, vinegar, and sherry in small bowl. Set aside. Add garlic to oil and cook until fragrant. Add flour and stir constantly until brown. Pour in vinegar combination. Cook over medium for about three to five minutes until thickened. Turn heat to low and return meat and drippings to pan. Let simmer for about ten minutes. Dig in!