pork medallions with belgian endive

Pork Medallions with Belgian Endive

Serves 4.  This was in Sunset magazine a couple of years ago and an amazingly tasty 380 calorie dish. 

            1 lb. whole pork tenderloin

            kosher salt

            fresh ground black pepper

            2 Tbs. olive oil

            1 garlic clove, crushed

            1 fresh thyme sprig

            2 Tbs. butter

            6 heads Belgian endive, halved

            ½ c. orange juice

            1 Tbs. maple syrup

            ½ c. heavy cream

            2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Remove any silverskin from surface of tenderloin.  Cut tenderloin crosswise into 12 medallions, each about 1” thick.  Season with salt and pepper.    

Set a very large plate next to the stove.  Heat oil in a very large pan (not nonstick) over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is browned all over, about 1 minute.  Transfer to plate. Add pork and cook until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes.  Turn over and cook until barely pink in the center, 1½ - 2 minutes.  Transfer to plate of garlic and thyme.

Put butter in pan and let melt.  Add endives, cut sides down, and cook until browned underneath, 1½ - 2 minutes.  Turn over and cook 1 minute more.  Transfer to plate of pork.

Add orange juice and maple syrup to pan and cook, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.  Add heavy cream and boil, stirring, until thickened and reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return garlic, thyme, pork, endive, and any accumulated juices to pan and heat, stirring gently, until everything is warmed through, about 1 minute.  Sauce should be reduced enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon and yield about ½ c.

Divide pork and endive among 4 plates.  Spoon on sauce; garnish with parsley.