We knew this week had a good chance of being as busy as last, so we've picked some quick and easy recipes to share with you guys. On today's menu: Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers (Cooking Light, January 2011).
This recipe doesn't require much chopping or prepping - just sliced bell peppers, some chopped rosemary, and a pork loin. We should note that this recipe calls for a rather unconventional ingredient, too: anchovies. (Cue the fifth grade chorus of "Ewwwww!") Luckily, the notes mentioned that 3 tablespoons of chopped olives would make a suitable substitute, and so we got straight to chopping!
Once you've sliced the pork into medallions, heat the oil and throw the pork in the pan with some kosher salt and pepper. We noticed that our pork gave off some water that prevented our pork from browning nicely like Cooking Light's image. If you want to achieve that nice, dark roasted look, draw away any water that accumulates as the pork is cooked.
When the pork looks good enough for the table, then add the bell peppers, garlic, olives, and most of the chopped rosemary. These will cook for seven minutes, until the peppers are crisp-tender, at which point you'll drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top, add the remaining rosemary, and serve.
We admired the quickness with which this dinner came together (20 minutes, start to finish), and while it didn't quite resemble the image from the magazine, at least it tasted good! And although not revolutionary, it's forced us to take a new approach to preparing pork. (Usually we just throw a tenderloin in the oven and focus on sides.)
Versatility is also high here, as any sturdy vegetable could be substituted for the peppers, and additional flavor added through spice mixtures. As a rut-clearing dish, this one takes the cake - just keep your expectations low.
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