Thursday, October 01, 2009

So simple yet so good



Maple-Balsamic-Glazed Pork Medallions
Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008 Copyright 2007

1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Combine syrup and vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in mustard.

Cut pork crosswise into 8 pieces. Place each pork piece between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt and pepper. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side. Add vinegar mixture; cook 1 minute or until desired degree of doneness, turning pork to coat. Place 2 pork medallions on each of 4 plates; drizzle about 1 tablespoon syrup mixture over each serving.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information Calories:214 (27% from fat) Fat:6.4g (sat 1.7g,mono 3.3,poly 0.7g) Protein:22.7g Carbohydrate:15.3g Fiber:0.1g Cholesterol:63mg Iron:1.5mg Sodium:409mg Calcium:22mg
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This sauce was so simple yet so good but it really does depend on the quality of ingredients. I knew that since I had a balsamic vinegar that I love (a storebrand but it's fantastic), a Dijon that I love (Bookbinder's) and real maple syrup that this probably couldn't lose and I was right. I loved it. I wonder if it would work on chicken as well. I might have to try that sometime. Usually I'm suspicious of recipes that use just a very few ingredients but I thought this really worked well.

My son came home sick yesterday and he really wanted me to stay home with him today but he was feeling so well this morning that I decided to bring in the in-laws and go to work. Even though I explained that time I don't take off now could be spent at home over Christmas vacation, he was still not completely happy so I promised McDonald's tonight. McDonald's on a weeknight! The only other time I remember that happening is after kindergarten orientation when I was too upset to cook. The truth is that I was only going to make cheeseburgers and french fries at home anyway.

Question of the Day: How often do you eat dinner out Monday-Thursday?

2 comments:

Annie Jones said...

We don't eat out often and almost never during the week. I'm home during the day, so I have time to cook; going out to eat on a "school night" is more hectic and time consuming than eating in. Not to mention it's costly.

Actually, we rarely have dinner out, even on the weekend. Most of our restaurant meals are at lunchtime or mid-afternoon. We've become such homebodies that it's unusual for us to be out anywhere in the evening.

Anonymous said...

Since it's just the two of us, we have no particular preference, but usually try to avoid the weekends when it is the busiest.

Jan