Bless me, www, for I have sinned; it has been six weeks since my last blog. Forgive!
This picture really doesn't do this justice. We were watching a cooking show on PBS (we don't have cable, really), and Jacques Pepin was making this. Sean really wanted to do it, and I thought, "Sure, I'll go along, but I don't want to make that stewy sauce." The sauce is the best part! I make it often and put it on just about everything. It is really good on toast, on other meats, and also grains like quinoa (my favorite grain; it is the most palatable of all health foods). This picture shows it in the original combination of pounded and breaded pork tenderloin medallions.
We made this for my extended family on Thanksgiving day, since they had rescheduled Thanksgiving for Friday this year. Some of you know how picky my Grandfather is. I do believe with my whole heart he is the most spoiled, pickiest eater older than 2 years. Everyone makes special versions of food just for him to avoid conflict. For this meal, Granny actually picked out the mushrooms of his portion in advance because he vehemently detests them. Family and friends, I want the internet community to note, I got an A+ from my Grandfather for this meal!
We had been cooking all day for the Friday gathering (which I would miss comletely, and I am still jonesing for some dressing!), and I said Sean and I would fix dinner for the family that night. We made this dish and everyone, EVERYONE, loved it. Even Sophie at three bites of meat! Granddaddy actually had seconds from the main pot with mushrooms and didn't even notice!
This meal can be made with lots of canned goods, so it is super convenient. The mushrooms were my addition because I absolutely love them. Leave them out, Chris, if you like. Oh, and have a salad after; go European! We usually make this for two people, but that night was seven and a half people, so just plan your tenderloin appropriately. The sauce can, and should be, doubled for leftovers.
Breadcrumb note: Please learn to make your own breadcrumbs. It is so easy if you have a food processor; we even use that little mini prep one. Take about 3-4 slices of bread and cut it into large pieces. Use just about any kind of bread; sandwich bread, pagnotta, or even herb bread and skip the extra herbs. We usually add some herbs to the processor, too, when we didn't have herb bread. It's not necessary, but very tasty. Whir it around till it looks like fluffy snow, then dredge your meat. I cannot advocate the crumbs in a cardboard container. If you are processorless, grate the bread on a cheese grater. If that proves unwieldy, try freezing the bread first.
We had been cooking all day for the Friday gathering (which I would miss comletely, and I am still jonesing for some dressing!), and I said Sean and I would fix dinner for the family that night. We made this dish and everyone, EVERYONE, loved it. Even Sophie at three bites of meat! Granddaddy actually had seconds from the main pot with mushrooms and didn't even notice!
This meal can be made with lots of canned goods, so it is super convenient. The mushrooms were my addition because I absolutely love them. Leave them out, Chris, if you like. Oh, and have a salad after; go European! We usually make this for two people, but that night was seven and a half people, so just plan your tenderloin appropriately. The sauce can, and should be, doubled for leftovers.
Breadcrumb note: Please learn to make your own breadcrumbs. It is so easy if you have a food processor; we even use that little mini prep one. Take about 3-4 slices of bread and cut it into large pieces. Use just about any kind of bread; sandwich bread, pagnotta, or even herb bread and skip the extra herbs. We usually add some herbs to the processor, too, when we didn't have herb bread. It's not necessary, but very tasty. Whir it around till it looks like fluffy snow, then dredge your meat. I cannot advocate the crumbs in a cardboard container. If you are processorless, grate the bread on a cheese grater. If that proves unwieldy, try freezing the bread first.
Pounded Pork with Stewy Sauce
egg noodles, if using
1 T. butter, plus another 2 T. for frying
pork tenderloin, cut into 2 inch medallions
some flour, like 3-4 T.
Fresh breadcrumbs (in your food processor, not a cardboard can)
one egg, beaten
1/2 sweet onion, diced or slivered
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or chop up canned whole tomatoes)
15 oz. can chicken broth, low sodium
mushrooms, sliced, as much as you want
fresh tarragon, chopped, or other herb
Saute the sweet onion and some oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat until soft. Add the rinsed garbanzos, tomatoes, chicken broth and mushrooms, if using (and I do suggest using). Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer while you prepare the meat.
If using egg noodles (so simple and yummy), start boiling a large pot of unsalted water. You should add them just as you start cooking the meat (about) so they will be just finished as you serve everything.
Pound the tenderloin medallions to 1/4 inch or so with a mallet or heavy flat saucepan. Salt and pepper the pieces. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium. Place three plates on your counter, one for each dredging ingredient (breadcrumbs, egg and flour). , Dredge each piece of pork first in the flour, then the egg and finally in the crumbs. (If you are trimming calories, just use the flour; the sauce will make it yummy later.) Heat a bit of oil in the pan and just before adding the meat, add 1-2 T. butter (real butter) to the pan. Fry each piece until browned, flip over and do it again.
Noodles can be tossed with 1 T. butter. Add chopped tarragon to the sauce. Place the pork on top of the noodles, then the sauce.
Light reds work well with this, as do some whites. Try a Beaujolais Nouveau, out right now for a limited time and rather inexpensive. We love Pinot Noir with this.
egg noodles, if using
1 T. butter, plus another 2 T. for frying
pork tenderloin, cut into 2 inch medallions
some flour, like 3-4 T.
Fresh breadcrumbs (in your food processor, not a cardboard can)
one egg, beaten
1/2 sweet onion, diced or slivered
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or chop up canned whole tomatoes)
15 oz. can chicken broth, low sodium
mushrooms, sliced, as much as you want
fresh tarragon, chopped, or other herb
Saute the sweet onion and some oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat until soft. Add the rinsed garbanzos, tomatoes, chicken broth and mushrooms, if using (and I do suggest using). Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer while you prepare the meat.
If using egg noodles (so simple and yummy), start boiling a large pot of unsalted water. You should add them just as you start cooking the meat (about) so they will be just finished as you serve everything.
Pound the tenderloin medallions to 1/4 inch or so with a mallet or heavy flat saucepan. Salt and pepper the pieces. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium. Place three plates on your counter, one for each dredging ingredient (breadcrumbs, egg and flour). , Dredge each piece of pork first in the flour, then the egg and finally in the crumbs. (If you are trimming calories, just use the flour; the sauce will make it yummy later.) Heat a bit of oil in the pan and just before adding the meat, add 1-2 T. butter (real butter) to the pan. Fry each piece until browned, flip over and do it again.
Noodles can be tossed with 1 T. butter. Add chopped tarragon to the sauce. Place the pork on top of the noodles, then the sauce.
Light reds work well with this, as do some whites. Try a Beaujolais Nouveau, out right now for a limited time and rather inexpensive. We love Pinot Noir with this.
1 comment:
Oh, if only I had read this before going to the store today! Well, I'll try to make it next week. It sounds FABU.
Grandaddy is lucky he didn't grow up in my dad's house, where the food policy was: "If you don't like it, don't eat it." (Translation: Shut up and make your own dinner.)
Of course, growing up in my home, the policy was: "If you don't like it, don't tell Mom or you'll hurt her feelings." Fortunately we almost always liked it a great deal.
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