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
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