Dorm Cooking Recipe #1: Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Apricot Glaze

Filed under Web exclusives, Dorm Cooking

Total Time: 1 hour
Active Time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed as needed
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ lemon
• ½ cup apricot preserves (with whole fruit, if possible)
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin
• Salt
• ¼ cup olive oil

Preheat toaster oven to 400°F. Place the pork tenderloin in a shallow ovenproof dish. Cut six small slits across the top of the loin, insert the garlic wedges, and season with black pepper. Cover and let marinate for 20 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine apricot preserves, juice from the lemon, crushed red pepper, cumin, and black pepper. If preserves are still thick, add more lemon juice to thin; don’t add too much, though, because the mixture should remain dense, not runny.

Uncover the tenderloin, salt it, then drizzle with the olive oil. Place the loin in the toaster oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and spread evenly with 6 tablespoons of the apricot mixture. Replace the loin in the oven and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 150°F.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Technique Note: When cutting the tenderloin, it’s best to cut against the grain at an angle.

Service Note: Slice the leftover tenderloin and serve it cold on a baguette with manchego cheese, a handful of mixed greens, and a teaspoon of the remaining apricot mixture.

Overachiever: To make a simple sauce to complement this dish, sauté 3 chopped shallots and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-heat until the shallots are translucent. Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons molasses, and the remaining 2 tablespoons preserves. Simmer until some liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes, and pour over sliced tenderloin before serving.

Sorority Girl: Perfect for those high-protein diets!

-Audrey Robertson