Roast Not, Want Not

As the weather gets cooler, my dinner thoughts turn to comforting roasts. Then the time crunch of real life intrudes. To satisfy my craving but keep cooking time short, I slice pork tenderloin (the small filet, not the loin) or less costly pork loin roast (the rib end, not the tougher center cut) into medallions and quickly saute them. Problem solved.

Pork goes well with dried fruit such as prunes and is nice with a side dish of spinach. If you have time, serve this dish with rice or a salad of greens, pears and walnuts.

To saute spinach, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add a pound of baby spinach by the handful, stirring and adding more as the spinach cooks down. This should only take a few minutes. Season with salt and serve.

Pork With Prunes

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

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1/2 cup pitted prunes, snipped in quarters

1/4 cup Cognac or brandy

1 pound pork rib-end loin roast or tenderloin, cut in 1/2-inch-thick medallions

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons minced fresh sage leaves

1/2 cup chicken broth

Soak the prunes in the Cognac in a small bowl.

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Meanwhile, season the meat with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is rich golden brown, then discard. Add the pork slices to the skillet, in batches if necessary; do not crowd the pan. Brown the meat quickly, 1 to 2 minutes, then turn and brown the other side. Remove the meat to a platter.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and sage and cook and stir 1 minute more. Reduce the heat to medium, add the prunes and Cognac and cook a minute so the alcohol evaporates. Add the broth and stir, scraping up the brown bits, and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the pork to the pan, spooning the sauce over and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper, if needed.

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4 servings. Each serving: 325 calories; 194 mg sodium; 74 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 2.79 grams fiber.

MENU

Pork with Prunes

Sauteed Spinach

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GAME PLAN

20 minutes before:Cut prunes and soak. Chop onion and herbs. Slice meat and season.

15 minutes before: Brown meat, cook spinach.

10 minutes before: Make prune sauce, reheat meat.

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SHOPPING LIST

1 pound pork tenderloin or rib-end loin roast

1 package prunes

Fresh rosemary

Fresh sage

Salad ingredients

1 pound baby spinach

STAPLES

Chicken broth

Cognac or brandy

Garlic

Olive oil

Onion

Rice *

Plate, utensils, napkin and placemat from Williams-Sonoma stores.