Honey Roasted Pork on a Bed of Sweet Potatoes

Pork tenderloin, in addition to being the leanest cut of pork and one that can be cooked with no added fat, is also convenient for time-pressured cooks. Here it roasts in just thirty minutes, on a bed of vegetables that are also used to make a delicious sauce to serve with the pork.


1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup chicken broth, canned
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound well trimmed pork tenderloin

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, red and green bell peppers, the garlic, salt and black pepper, and toss until well combined. Spoon the vegetables into a 7 by 11 inch baking pan and toss with 1/3 cup of the chicken broth. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the honey, mustard and lemon juice. Place the pork on top of the sweet potato mixture and brush with half of the honey mixture. Pour the remaining honey mixture over the vegetables. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, spoon 1 cup of the vegetable mixture into a food processor and purée with the remaining 1/3 cup chicken broth. Slice the pork and serve topped with the vegetable purée, with the roasted vegetables on the side. 4 servings.

Mustard Crusted Pork Tenderloin

1 cup chopped scallions
4 garlic cloves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoon horseradish flavored Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 10 ounce pork tenderloin

Preheat oven to 350F. In a food processor, combine scallions, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; process until finely chopped. Add mustard and oil; process until mixture forms a paste. Place pork on a rack in roasting pan; spread with scallion mixture. Pour broth into bottom of pan. Roast, basting occasionally, 45 to 50 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 160F. Let stand 10 minutes before carving into 1/4 inch thick slices. Serves 4.

VANILLA BOURBON MARINATED PORK LOIN WITH SWEET POTATO



2 vanilla beans, split and scraped

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

2 bay leaves

2 cups bourbon

1 pork loin, about 6 pounds, trimmed and cleaned



PECAN GRAVY



1 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped trinity (equal amounts onion, celery, green pepper, finely diced)

1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup pork marinating liquid, from the above

1 quart chicken stock



SWEET POTATOES



8 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cane syrup

salt to taste

freshly ground white pepper to taste



In a small saucepan, combine vanilla beans, orange zest, black pepper, brown sugar, cider vinegar and bay leaves and cook over medium heat until sugar is melted and flavors have begun to meld, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add bourbon. Cool marinade completely before pouring over pork loin in a glass casserole or bowl. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning every 12 hours.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Transfer marinade to a saucepan and reduce volume by 1/3. Reserve to use in the pecan gravy.



Place pork on a rack on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with Pecan Gravy and Sour Cream Mashed Sweet Potatoes.



PECAN GRAVY



In a saucepan cook pecans in butter until you get a pleasant pecan aroma. Add trinity and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour, cook for 2 minutes, then add marinating liquid and chicken stock. Continue to cook until sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



SWEET POTATOES



In a large saucepan, boil sweet potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Pour off all of the water and put potatoes through a food mill or ricer. Using a large plastic spatula, fold in sour cream, bourbon, brown sugar, and cane syrup. Taste and add salt and white pepper to taste. Serve immediately or put in a casserole dish and reheat when ready to serve.

Apricot Glazed Pork



1 packet/1 oz. Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch®

Salad Dressing Seasoning Mix

6 slices Pork loin, 1-inch thick

1/2 cup Breadcrumbs

1 cup Apricot preserves



Prep Time: 15 min

Bake Time: 35 min



Preheat oven to 350°F.



Combine dressing and seasoning mix together with the

breadcrumbs. Coat each pork slice with the crumb

mixture. Place in a baking dish and cover evenly with

the preserves.



Bake approximately 25-35 minutes, or until thoroughly

cooked.



Makes 4 servings

Cuban Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Soffrito Rice



~~~Rice~~~

1 TB olive oil or vegetable oil

2 slices bacon, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2-3/4 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups white rice

2 pinches saffron or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt



~~~Pork~~~

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed, about 2-1/2 lb. total weight

4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin

4 bay leaves

2 tsp. anise seed

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 TB ground cumin

2 limes, zested

2 TB McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

Extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil, to coat



Optional garnishes:

Chopped mango or kiwi, or chopped cilantro and scallions



Preheat the oven to 450º F.



Heat medium pot with tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Add oil and

bacon and

brown bacon. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 minutes. Bring broth to a

boil. Add rice.

Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, until rice is

tender.



For pork, cut 4 slits into each loin and nest garlic and bay into meat. Place

meat on

nonstick baking sheet. Combine the spices. Coat meat with oil. Rub spices

over

the pork tenderloins and place in oven. Roast meat 25 minutes. Remove from

oven. Let

juices redistribute, then slice and serve with soffrito rice and garnishes of

chopped

tropical fruit or chopped cilantro and scallions. Suggested drink: mojitos!



Yield: 6 servings.

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce



1/3 cup red wine

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 TB light brown sugar

2 lb. pork tenderloin

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1-1/2 TB mustard powder

1 TB minced fresh chives, optional



Combine wine, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a large resealable plastic bag.

Place tenderloin

in bag, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.



In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard powder; mix well.

Mix in minced

chives if you wish. Chill until ready to serve.



Preheat oven to 325º F.



Place meat and marinade in a shallow baking dish, and roast for 1 hour,

basting occasionally.

Temperature of meat should register 160º F.



Let rest for a few minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Serve with

mustard sauce.



Serves: 8.

Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin



1/3 cup honey

2 TB soy sauce

1 TB brown sugar

2 TB sesame oil

2 TB balsamic vinegar

2 (3/4 lb. ea.) pork tenderloins



Preheat oven to 450º F.



In a bowl, mix the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and balsamic

vinegar.



Place the pork tenderloins in a roasting pan, and roast 15 minutes in the

preheated

oven.



Remove pork from oven, and baste with the honey sauce.



Reduce oven temperature to 350º F., and continue roasting pork 45 minutes,

basting

occasionally with the honey sauce, to an internal temperature of 160º F.



Serves: 6.