Pork tenderloin with apple

We discovered this fabulous recipe some time ago, thrilled to be able to use the Calvados that we brought back from Normandy. Calvados is an apple brandy produced in the region of Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy). This recipe from the Country Cooking of France is a Norman classic, utilizing a combination of apples and cream. To clarify, the recipe actually calls for the pork to be wrapped in bacon (not as a result of improvisation on the part of David), as it keeps the pork moist and balances nicely against the sweetness of the apple.

Recipe

from The Country Cooking of FranceServes 2 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)3 thin slices lean bacon1 tbsp lard3/4 onion, sliced1 tart apple, cored and sliced1-1/2 tbsp Calvados or cognac3/4 cup veal brothsalt and pepper1/8 cup cream (optional)1 tbsp buttersugarSlice the bacon strips in half and wrap around tenderloin, such that the meat is completely coated with bacon. If needed, tie strings around meat to secure. Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat lard in flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add pork and brown thoroughly on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add onions to pan and cook, until soft but not brown. Reserve 2 apple slices, and stir in the rest. Continue cooking until onions and apples are browned. Replace the meat, add Calvados, and flambé it. Then stir in broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to oven and roast pork, uncovered, until tender, 50-60 minutes.When meat is nearly tender, prepare caramelized apple slices. Melt butter in large frying pan over high heat. Dip each side of the apple slices in sugar and put in hot butter. Cook until caramelized, 5 minutes. Turn the slices and brown on other side. Set aside. When pork is done, transfer to carving board and cove to keep warm. To make sauce, transfer contents of casserole to food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pan, stir in cream if using and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning. Discard strings from pork and carve into slices.

Musings

A few notes on preparation: In lieu of veal broth, we used chicken stock (as we tend to have that readily on hand). For sides, wealso prepared steamed green beans and poured 1 tbsp melted butter and pan-fried almonds over top. D also whipped up some mashed potatoes, this time adding a bit of cream cheese, blue cheese and chicken stock to the mix.As always, this dish is delicious. I love the apple flavours in the sauce (a great result of having puréed everything that the pork was cooking in). The pork was suitably moist, and of course, the bacon added a nice saltiness to the dish. A consistently tasty dish. Cream, bacon, apples, pork--I really do love French food! We consulted the Joy of Cooking for the suggestion regarding the pairing of almonds and green beans, and it was definitely a good combination.

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Baguette French toast