Pork’s New Love: ‘Cots and Prunes

Pork’s affinity for fruit is well known. Although we usually think of apples as a porker’s best mate, any sweet fruit with a good burst of tartness is an excellent choice. Dried fruit’s rich flavor works just as well as fresh and seems all the more appropriate for cooler days.

Serve this lovely dinner with whole-grain dinner rolls and, for dessert, a glass of Port with some freshly cracked nuts.

Menu

Pork Medallions With Dried Fruit Sauce

Wholr-Grain Dinner Rolls

Pork Medallions With Dried Fruit Sauce

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons butter

2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch-thick medallions

Salt, pepper

3/4 pound egg noodles

1/2 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

* Puree prunes, apricots and 1 cup broth in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.

* Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper to taste and place in skillet. Cook pork until no longer pink, approximately 3 1/2 to 4 minutes each side. Remove and keep warm.

* Bring large pot of salted water to boil and add egg noodles, cooking according to package directions until al dente.

* In same skillet, add onion and garlic and saute over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add wine, sage and rosemary and cook 30 seconds. Add fruit puree and remaining broth. Cook 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce is thick. Add remaining butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

* Drain noodles and spread on serving plate. Top with pork and sauce.

4 servings. Each serving: 1,027 calories; 624 mg sodium; 214 mg cholesterol; 57 grams fat; 83 grams carbohydrates; 43 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.

Game Plan

25 minutes before: Make fruit puree. Slice pork tenderloin.

15 minutes before: Saute pork medallions. Chop onion and garlic. Cook egg noodles.

5 minutes before: Finish sauce.

Ingredients

Shopping List

Dried apricots

Egg noodles

Assortment of nuts, in the shell

2 pounds pork tenderloin

Prunes, pitted

Fresh rosemary

Fresh sage

Whole-grain dinner rolls

Staples

Beef broth

Butter

Garlic

Onion

White wine