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If you are skipping the resturant scene this year and staying in for Valentine’s Day here is a great dish to make for your special someone! Packed full of flavor and nutrition this meal will leave your tastebuds happy and your tummy satisfied.
Quinoa is a complete protien and has all nine amino acids, full of fiber and goes with just about anything – so you can’t lose with it as the stellar side dish! If you have some zuchinni, yellow squash or colorful bell peppers, chop them u,p give them a quick saute and toss them with the quinoa. Make this dish your own and switch it up with whatever you love.
The delicious port sauce celebrates this special day thanks to the beautiful red color of the cherries. Feel free to use this sauce on chicken or duck – it goes really well with both of them!
So get the kids to bed early, put on some soft music, light some candles and get ready to impress your loved one. You can make it just as special at home without having to worry about making reservations or getting a sitter.
Happy Valentine’s Day ya’ll!
Chef Amy
| Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Port Sauce and Herb Quinoa |
- 3/4 c. quinoa
- 1 1/2c. chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 2 t. olive oil
- 1/4 c. shallots, minced
- 2/3 c. beef broth, low sodium, divided
- 1/4 c. Port wine
- 1/4 c. cherry preserves, sweetened with fruit juice
- 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 t. Balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 t. pepper
- 1 t. cornstarch
- 1 rosemary, fresh sprig
- 1 T. Italian parsley chopped
- 1 t. basil puree, or 1 T. fresh chopped
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium pot. Add quinoa, cover and lower to a simmer for 20 min.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Trim tenderloin of silverskin and any extra fat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup broth, wine, and the next 5 ingredients (wine through pepper).
- In a small bowl combine remaining broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk.
- Add olive oil to pan over medium-high heat.
- Add seasoned pork; cook 3 minutes or until brown. Turn pork over, and cook 3 minute. Remove from pan to a oven safe dish or foil lined cookie sheet.
- Place pork in the oven until it reaches 155 degrees, about 15 min. Cover with foil when you remove from the oven as it will continue to cook and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees.
- In the pan that you browned the pork, add shallots and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly until softened. If the pan gets dry add 1 t. of olive oil.
- Remove 2 T. of cooked shallots for the herb quinoa to a small bowl.
- Add wine mixture and fresh rosemary spring and bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes.
- Add cornstarch mixture; simmer for 1 minute. Remove rosemary sprig and discard.
- Add any juice from the pork may have accumulated while it was resting into the pan with the sauce.
- Slice the tenderloin into smaller serving pieces. Serve sauce over pork tenderloin.
- Add 1 T. chopped parsley, 1 t. Basil puree, and reserved cooked shallots to the cooked quinoa. Season with salt and pepper.
- ombine remaining broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk.
- Melt olive oil in pan over medium-high heat.
- Add pork tenderloin; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn pork over, and cook 3 more minutes. Remove from pan and place in a oven safe dish or on a foil lined cookie sheet.
- Place pork in the oven until it reaches 155 degrees, about 15 min. Cover with foil when you remove from the oven as it will continue to cook and come up to 165 degrees.
- In the pan that you browned the pork, add shallots and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. If the pan gets dry add 1 t. of olive oil.
- Remove 2 T. of cooked shallots for the herb quinoa to a small bowl.
- Add wine mixture and fresh rosemary spring and bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes.
- Add cornstarch mixture; simmer for 1 minute. Remove rosemary sprig and discard.
- Add any juice from the pork may have accumulated while it was resting into the pan with the sauce.
- Slice the tenderloin into smaller serving pieces. Serve sauce over pork tenderloin.
- Add 1 T. chopped parsley, 1 t. Basil puree, and reserved cooked shallots to the cooked quinoa. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a side of sauteed spinach.
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