Pork Tenderloin with Stewed Dried Fruits

Still undecided about what to make as your main course this Easter? For us, it’s typically lamb, or sometimes ham, but if you want to try something different, yet festive, easy and delicious, then give this recipe a go. Roast pork and fruit are a delicious pairing and perfect for any holiday or special occasion. It won’t keep you from your guests for long, since it can be prepared ahead of time and takes only a half hour to cook. You can roast the meat while you’re sitting down to pre-dinner drinks with friends and family. Stew the fruit the night before to save time, but even this takes only 15 minutes. I bought an assortment of dried fruits – peaches, apples, pears, prunes and apricots, plus some orange and lemon peel – and covered them with boiling water, a bit of sugar and a cinnamon stick and whole cloves.The fruit can sit in the fridge overnight, and you can reheat it at the last minute, while the meat is resting. After you slice the meat, arrange the fruit around the sides, and pour both the meat juices left in the roasting pan, and the fruit juices all over the meat.

Buon appetito e Buona Pasqua a tutti.

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Pork Tenderloin with Stewed Dried Fruits

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
• Dijon mustard
• salt, pepper (or herbed salt)
• herbs de Provence
• about two cups of mixed dried fruits (apricots, prunes, apples, pears, peaches)
• water, to cover
• 1/2 cup sugar
• a few strips of orange peel
• a few strips of lemon peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• a couple of whole cloves

Instructions

1. Bring the meat at room temperature and dry with paper towels.
2. Smear a little olive oil on the bottom of a roasting pan.
3. Place the meat on the pan and smear with a light coating of Dijon mustard.
4. Season with salt and pepper (or herbed salt) and a light sprinkling of herbs de Provence.
5. Place the meat in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 140-145 degrees. (The temperature will continue to rise for a bit when you take it out of the oven.)
6. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 10 minute, then slice.
7. FOR THE STEWED DRIED FRUIT:
8. Place the fruit in a saucepan with water to cover.
9. Add the sugar, the citrus peels, the cinnamon and the cloves.
10. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until fruit is softened.
11. Remove the citrus peels, the cinnamon stick and the cloves.
12. Remove from the heat, and serve along the sides of a serving platter with the sliced meat.
13. Pour the juice from the fruits and any juice from the meat (on the carving board) over the sliced meat.

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