Jamaican pork tenderloin

For ➍
500-750 g pork tenderloin, trimmed & cut into 2 cm slices*/**
2 dl orange juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 ts cornstarch***
2 tbs apple juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ ts ground cayenne pepper
¼ ts ground cumin
¼ ts dried leaf thyme
¼ ts salt
2 tbs minced scallions

Place the pork* slices, a few at a time, between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound slices to 0.5 cm thickness.
Coat a skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil. Place skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
Add slices to make a single layer in the skillet. Cook slices for about 6 m, or until the meat is cooked, turning once halfway through cooking time. Transfer the pork to a warm platter. Cover to keep warm. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.**
Add the orange juice to the skillet. Quickly bring to a boil, scraping bottom with a spatula to loosen any browned bits. Add the onion, green peppers, red peppers. Cook, stirring, for 5 m, until vegetables are tender.
Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the apple juice. Stir until smooth. Add the minced garlic, ground cayenne pepper, cumin, thyme, and salt. Add to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3 m, or until the sauce thickens.
Serve over the meat. Sprinkle with the scallions.
Serve with oven-baked sweet potatoes.

*Or chicken fillets, sliced in 2 lengthwise.

**Or braise the meat in a traditional way: brown the complete tenderloin for a few m in oil, then braise for about 15-25 m in a skillet.

***Omit, if wanted.

Varkenshaasje met bloemkool (Pork tenderloin with cauliflower)

For ➍
700 g pork tenderloin
butter
salt & black pepper
Blackwell sauce
10 potatoes
1 cauliflower*

Season the tenderloin with salt and black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Heat a frying pan with a lump of butter in it. Once the butter is foaming, place the meat in the hot pan. Sear the meat to form a crust, so the juice of the meat does not escape. To avoid burning the butter, turn the heat to medium, or put in a lump of fresh butter. Make sure the meat gets get a golden brown on all sides.

Put meat in an ovenproof dish and cook further in the oven for 8 to 10 m at 160°C.**

Pour off excess drippings from the meat. Use the same skillet to prepare the sauce. The burnt leftovers will provide extra flavour.

Remove the meat from the oven. Put on an inverted plate, cover with foil and let meat rest 10 m.

Peel the potatoes and cut into large pieces. Cook them in the steam or boil them in lightly salted water (18 to 20 m).

Cut the cauliflower into florets, rinse the vegetables well and steam them until tender.

Cut the meat into 2.5 cm slices. On each plate, put a few cauliflower florets few and a few potatoes. Arrange a few slices of pork and spoon over some sauce.

*Or use green beans. or replace with mustard braised Brussels sprouts.
**Or lower the heat. Cover the pan and cook further for 10-15 m.

Medaillons de porc aux pommes (pork tenderloin with apples)

For ➍
500 g pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
¾ ts rubbed sage (or dried thyme or rosemary)
½ ts salt
¼ ts ground black pepper
1 tbs butter
1 tbs light olive oil
1 large onion, cut into medium strips
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
pinch of ground cloves

Slice the pork crosswise into 4 medallions. Place the pork medallions in a small dish and pour the apple cider vinegar over the meat. Allow the pork to marinate in the vinegar for 10 m, turning the meat over halfway through the marinating time.
Pat the pork dry on both sides and sprinkle all the surfaces with the sage, salt and black pepper. Heat the butter and oil together in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the medallions to the pan and allow them to cook, without moving them at all, for 4 m. Carefully flip them over, and allow them to cook, without moving them, for an additional 4 m.
Check the pork medallions for doneness, and continue cooking them for an additional 1 to 2 m if they appear too pink in the center. Remove the cooked pork medallions to a plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Add the onions to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 5 m, until they begin to brown. Add the apples and cloves to the skillet and continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 m, until the apples have just turned tender.
Arrange the onions and apples on serving plates, slice the pork, if desired, and arrange the pork over the caramelized onions and apples. Serve immediately.

Tenderloin with spinach, tomato & bacon

For ➍
1 pork tenderloin, at room temperature
1 handful spinach leaves
4 cocktail tomatoes, halved or 8 cherry tomatoes
8 slices bacon
cauliflower couscous

Cut the pork tenderloin open so that a rectangle is created. Place the meat between two sheets of foil and beat it into a thin layer with a rolling pin. Remove the foil, season with salt and pepper. Cut the meat into long strips, about the width of the bacon.
Put a few leaves of spinach, cocktail tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes ) on the meat, roll the tenderloin and wrap the bacon around it. Secure with a toothpick.
Brush the skewers with olive oil and grill for 5 to 6 m on each side. Place the skewers on the side of the barbecue and cook for 10 m more or until they are fully cooked.
Serve with cauliflower couscous.

Mustard braised Brussels sprouts

For ➍
500 g Brussels sprouts
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 dl white wine
2 dl (chicken or vegetable) stock
2 to 3 shallots, peeled & thinly sliced
2 tbs heavy cream
1 tbs smooth mustard (or more to taste)
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy skillet, heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 m. [If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc].

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 m.

Remove the lid, and scoop out the sprouts. Add cream and simmer for 2-3 m, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or mustard.

Pour sauce over sprouts, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately. (As a side dish for roasted pork such as tenderloin. Or as a vegetarian starter with a slice of fresh bread.).

Sweet pork & beets

For ➍
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs minced fresh ginger root
400 g pork tenderloin, cut into thin 4 cm strips
1 ts oyster sauce
1 ts salt
500 g sliced canned beets, 20 cl juice reserved
100 g sugar*

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook about 1 me. Mix in the pork, oyster sauce, and salt. Cook 10 m, stirring continuously, until pork is evenly browned.

Stir the beets, about 20 cl reserved beet juice, and sugar into the pork mixture. Continue cooking 10 to 15 m, until beets are tender. Serve over cooked long-grain rice**.

*Use more for a sweeter taste.
* *125 g for 4.

In Roman times, beetroot juice was considered an aphrodisiac. From the Middle Ages on, beetroot was used as a treatment for illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. It still is considered beneficent for cardiovascular health and liver problems.