Cinnamon & Coriander Rubbed Pork Loin Medallions Mashed Yukon Potatoes & Honey Crisp Apples & Orange Cardamom Carrots with a Pinot Noir Balsamic Reduction

 Serves 4 / The Potatoes You Should Always Make!

INGREDIENTS: 

2 ½ lbs pork tenderloin trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch thick medallions. This makes about 8 – 10 medallions.

4 medium to large Yukon potatoes, unpeeled and cubed

1 Honey Crisp Apple peeled and cubed

¼ C heavy cream

½ C salted butter (divided)

1 – 1 ½ t kosher salt + 1 t black pepper (to taste) divided.

6 multicolored carrots, peeled and cut into knobs or slices (your choice!)

Zest from half a navel orange

2 T fresh orange juice

¼ T cardamom

Microgreens of your choice for garnish

2 T good olive oil

3/4 C good Pinot Noir wine

2 T raspberry preserves

2 T fig balsamic or any sweet balsamic

Meat RUB:

1 t cinnamon

1 t coriander powder

½ t dried thyme powder

1/3 t garlic salt

1 ½ t kosher salt

t black pepper

2 T chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Oil to moisten, about 2 T

1 large garlic clove chopped finely

METHOD:

• In a small bowl mix together the rub ingredients starting from cinnamon down to pepper. Add the fresh parsley and stir to combine. Then add the oil to create a paste. Add a little at a time until it’s a very loose paste. Add the chopped garlic. Then toss the moistened rub with the meat, covering it all. Set aside and let marinate for about 2 hours although 30 minutes is fine. (You can leave on counter for an hour or more so the meat reaches room temperature before cooking. Or cover with plastic wrap and keep for overnight.)
• Cut Yukon potatoes and dice, then peel apples and dice and place both in a large Dutch oven pan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until very soft. About 15 minutes. Test with a fork for doneness. Drain, add the 3 T salted butter, and the cream. And about ¾ t salt and ¼ pepper. Mash with a masher. I like to serve them rustic so they’re not smooth. Add a little more cream if needed and taste to see if you need more salt and pepper which is very likely. Potatoes always need a lot of salt to taste good! Cover. Set aside until ready to plate.
• Place cut carrots in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until soft, about 12-15 minutes. Drain, add 2 T salted butter, ½ t salt and ¼ t black pepper, the cardamom, the orange zest, and the orange juice. Stir. Cover. Set aside until ready to plate.
• Mix the wine, preserves, and fig vinegar together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Heat 2 T oil in a large saucepan large enough to hold all the medallions. When very hot place the medallions in the pan and make sure they’re about ½ inch or more apart so they don’t steam. Let them sear on one side until quite caramelized (or browned), about 2+ minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. At this point they will still be fairly raw in the middle which is fine. Remove them and put on a plate. Turn the heat down slightly. Add the wine mixture to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer until bubbles are mostly dissipated. Add the pork loin back into the pan, keep heat on medium to medium low just so there is a bubble but not too much. Let them simmer in the wine reduction until medium rare which takes about 3-4 minutes. I go by ‘feel’ for doneness, meaning when you press on the meat and there’s some resistance, but they’re not firm they are done to medium rare. Add 2 T butter and mix in and let melt.
• To serve put a serving of the potatoes in the middle of the plate. Surround with the cardamom orange carrots. Place two medallions on top. Drizzle with the reduction and garnish with the microgreens.