Even though the apple played a central role in humankind’s fall from grace, it is the single most widely cultivated genus of fruit tree on earth. The phrase “as American as apple pie” came about because it was the first fruit to be planted on the American continent by European settlers. But apple varieties originate from all the corners of the globe – Golden Delicious apples come from West Virginia, Braeburns were developed in New Zealand, the Granny Smith in Sydney, the Pink Lady in Western Australia, and Fujis were developed in Japan. Fujis are currently the most widely cultivated apple, grown by the world’s largest producer of apples, China.
In today’s supermarket, an apple is something that never disappears. No matter what time of year it is, there are some varieties of apples available, like Granny Smiths, Red & Golden Delicious and Gala apples. Other varieties, like MacIntosh, are only available for a specific time period in the fall, much to Kelly’s displeasure! In Kelly’s world, MacIntosh apples are the only ones worth making applesauce from or eating as a snack. For this pork & apple recipe, we have her permission to use up the Granny Smith apples!
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples &Cider Sauce
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples & Cider Sauce (adapted from fitnessmagazine.com)
Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 – 1/4 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tart, crisp apples (Granny Smith or Braeburn), cored and cut into 8 wedges
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475º. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the pork dry, cut it in half crosswise and season it with the salt & pepper. Add the pork to the skillet and sear it for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and set it aside.
Brown the pork on all sides.
In a medium bowl, toss the apple wedges with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and arrange them along the edges of the baking sheet. Roast the pork until its internal temperature reaches 140º, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate, tent it with foil and let it rest. Continue to roast the apples for 5 to 8 minutes more or until the bottoms are a deep golden color.
Place the pork & apples on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Meanwhile, add 1 teaspoon of butter and the shallot to the skillet and sauté it over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the cider, bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 3 minutes.
Add the vinegar then the cider to the shallot.
Combine the half-and-half, mustard and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk this mixture into the cider sauce, cooking until it is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the thyme.
Some half & half, mustard, cornstarch & thyme complete the sauce.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and stir any collected juices into the cider mixture. Thickly slice the pork then arrange the slices on a serving platter. Surround the meat with the apple wedges. Spoon the sauce over the pork slices and sprinkle the remaining thyme over them.
This is elegant enough for company!
Hard to go wrong with pork, apples & cider! ~Linda
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples & Cider Sauce (adapted from fitnessmagazine.com)
Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 1/4 – pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tart, crisp apples (Granny Smith or Braeburn), cored and cut into 8 wedges
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475º. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the pork dry, cut it in half crosswise and season it with the salt & pepper. Add the pork to the skillet and sear it for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, toss the apple wedges with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and arrange them along the edges of the baking sheet. Roast the pork until its internal temperature reaches 140º, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate, tent it with foil and let it rest. Continue to roast the apples for 5 to 8 minutes more or until the bottoms are a deep golden color.
Meanwhile, add 1 teaspoon of butter and the shallot to the skillet and sauté it over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the cider, bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 3 minutes.
Combine the half-and-half, mustard and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk this mixture into the cider sauce, cooking until it is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the thyme.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and stir any collected juices into the cider mixture. Thickly slice the pork then arrange the slices on a serving platter. Surround the meat with the apple wedges. Spoon the sauce over the pork slices and sprinkle the remaining thyme over them.