Sunday Dinner - Pistachio Flecked Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Orange Gastrique



Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce

Featured Ingredient: Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce

Here is a perfect Sunday meal, that can also warm you up any day of the week as it can be prepared rather quickly.  It looks and sounds glamorous yet is very simple to prepare. For the pork tenderloin, everything you need for the breading goes into a food processor.  A few steady pulses and you are good to go.  

The gastrique can be made while your pork finishes in the oven.  What is a gastrique? It's a french term meaning a thick sauce produced by a reduction vinegar, wine, sugar and usually fruit... and which sounds a lot fancier than sauce. I like using the whole cranberry sauce.  The chopped pistachios and the select whole cranberries in the sauce add a nice texture to this dish.

I happened to be in my old neighborhood yesterday. As it is 20 miles away I don't go there that often.  When I do I always make sure to stop at Palmer's Market in Darien, CT.  It's been there since 1921 and has come a long way from a small family-owned grocery store, to real gourmet establishment.  It's still owned and run by a Palmer. They have the best proteins around! So when I go there, I make sure to stock up. Look at this beauty.

Pork Tenderloin Recipe:

1/2 cup raw shelled pistachios

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400.

Season tenderloin with salt and pepper. Place pistachios, bread crumbs, lemon zest, garlic into food processor.  Pulse until the pistachios are finely chopped.  Pour out onto a plate or on a piece of foil.  (Think ahead... double this recipe freeze extra breading and for a later time.I'm sure you know you put away the extra breading in your food processor before you dip raw pork and egg in it. I just thought I'd put it out there.)

Beat egg and dijon mustard in a medium bowl. Dip tenderloin into egg then coat with breading mixture.

Heat oil in a non stick skillet.  Lightly sear tenderloin on both sides until a golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Spray an oven safe dish with cooking spray. Place pork on dish and put into oven for 15-20 minutes, until pork reaches 155-160F.  Set dish aside on rack cover with foil and let rest.  Your "rested" pork should have a slightly blushed color when sliced. 

Cranberry Orange Gastrique 

1 cup Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 tsp orange zest

2 tsp butter

Salt to Taste

Heat sauce, vinegar, garlic and orange zest in saucepan over low/simmering heat for about 15 minutes.  Stir every few minutes.  When thickened swirl in butter at the end. 

Cranberry Orange Gastrique





Pistachio Flecked Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Orange Gastrique


Serve this with something creamy like mashed potatoes.