Pork medalions with caramelized fennel and onion and balsamic sauce

I think I start liking this blogging affair, especially since I am looking thru old pictures and don't have to rush home to cook and take new pictures, I have a couple saved already that I could use. This way I even feel less bad about having leftovers last night, instead of making something else. And since I am so comfortable with my laziness, I foresee tonight a mac & cheese dinner for Clara and something for us, I don't like myself too tired, do I? (although a little bit worried here, I was just reminded that laziness is one of the deadly sins, I should shake it off asap, so next time maybe it will be a new dish and new picture, not just an old one.)

So, here is: pork tenderloin, very tender indeed, no fat at all, that's why you don't need to cook it very long, with some mashed potatoes and sauce and caramelized fennel and onion. Everything is simple and easy, but my portions, as you see, since served at home, dinner time, for a big guy, are pretty consistent, not just pretty, as I would visualize them. But for the blog's sake, from now on, I'll have a prettier set up. Or at least I'll try to remember to do so.

Ingredients:
- one pork tenderloin, about a pound and a half (I cut the tenderloin in three this time)
- two fennel bulbs, fronds reserved for decorating
- one small white or yellow onion
- about 6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
- one cup red whine
- one cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- butter and milk/cream for the mashed potatoes
- salt & pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water, then strain and mash them mixing with butter and milk (or cream if you prefer), adding salt to your taste. Keep them warm until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven at 375 F. I seasoned the tenderloin with salt and pepper, then I seared it in a hot pan with little bit of oil, about 2 minutes per side, until browned all over, then put it in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. I put foil on the roasting pan as I wanted to get any juices/ drippings and use them for the sauce, did not happen. When it's done, remove it from the oven, cover with foil and let it rest until ready to slice and plate.

In a saucepan I boiled the wine, the balsamic vinegar and the sugar until reduced to about 2/3 of a cup. Taste the sauce and if it needs more sugar you could add some, as well as salt and pepper.

I julienned the fennel and the onion (with some salt and pepper) and I sauteed it in a pan with about 2 tablespoons oil, until caramelized.

Then everything goes on the plate, in smaller or bigger portions, as you please: mashed potatoes as a nest (very creative, I know, I know), the fennel and onion in the middle, then the sliced tenderloin on top.

Drizzle some sauce (I obviously poured, not just drizzled, but that's because we like the sauce) around the potatoes and decorate with some fennel fronds or any fresh herbs you have or like.

For those who don't like or have fennel, you could use 3 small onions instead. For those who don't like onion, use fennel. For those who don't like fennel or onion, well, maybe some wilted greens, like spinach or kale, I know they are not the same, but nothing else crosses my mind right now. Oh, yes, other ideas: roasted bell pepper or sauteed mushrooms would be nice too.

Muschiulet de porc cu garnitura de cartofi, fenicul si ceapa caramelizata si sos balsamic

Cred ca incepe sa-mi placa toata afacerea asta cu blogul, mai ales pentru ca folosesc poze facute mai demult si nu trebuie sa ma grabesc acasa sa gatesc si sa fac poze, mai am cateva salvate. Si in felul acesta nici nu ma mai simt atat de rau ca aseara am mancat ce gatisem cu o seara in urma, fara sa fac altceva nou. Si pentru ca tot ma simt atat de comfortabil cu lenea asta, prevad o seara de paste cu branza pentru clara si ceva, orisice, pentru noi, doar nu vreau sa ma obosesc prea tare, nu? (Scriind randurile astea, tocmai imi vine in minte ca lenea e unul din pacatele majore, mortale in engleza, asa ca ar trebui macar asta sa ma faca sa ma scutur de ea imediat, poate data viitoare va fi ceva nou de mancare si o poza noua, nu una pescuita din trecut.)
Revenind la postul zilei - muschiulet de porc, foarte fraged, deloc gras, de aceea nici nu trebuie gatit prea mult, cu garnitura de cartofi, sos balsamic si ceapa cu fenicul (anason dulce) caramelizat. Totul e simplu de preparat si usor, dar portiile mele, dupa cum vedeti, pentru ca sunt servite acasa, la cina, unui barbat cu apetit foarte sanatos, sunt destul de consistente, nu si foarte prezentabile, asa cum le-as vrea eu. Dar de dragul blogului, de acum inainte, o sa incerc macar sa am o farfurie asa cum trebuie, sau macar sa-mi aduc aminte sa fac asa.

Ingrediente:

- un muschiulet de porc, de aproape 700 g, eu l-am taiat in trei
- doua bulburi de fenicul, frunzele rezervate pentru decorat
- o ceapa medie
- 6 cartofi curatati si taiati in cuburi
- 200 ml vin rosu
- 200 ml otet balsamic
- 2 linguri zahar
- unt si lapte pentru cartofi
- sare & piper

Se fierb cartofii in apa sarata, se scurg si se zdrobesc, amestecandu-se cu unt si lapte, si sare dupa gust. Se pastreaza calzi pana sunt gata sa fie serviti.
Se incalzeste cuptorul la 190C (un pic mai mult de temperatura medie). Am sarat si piperat muschiuletul, apoi l-am prajit intr-o tigaie fierbinte cu foarte putin ulei, cam 2 minute pe fiecare parte, pana a facut o crusta peste tot, apoi l-am pus in cuptor pentru inca 5-7 minute. Eu am pus niste folie de aluminiu sperand sa adun sucul lasat de carne si sa-l pun in sos, dar nu a lasat nici un pic. Can e gata, se scoate din cuptor, se acopera cu folie sa ramana cald, si se feliaza numai cand se serveste pe farfurie.
Intr-o craticioara am fiert vinul si otetul balsamic cu zaharul pana s-a redus mai mult de jumatate si s-a ingrosat. Se adauga mai mult zahar daca va place mai dulce, de asemenea sare si piper.
Am taiat feniculul si ceapa solzisori si le-am calit cu putin ulei, sare si piper, pana s-au caramelizat si au devenit un auriu mai inchis.
Apoi totul merge pe farfurii, in portii mai mici sau mai mari, dupa plac. Eu am pus cartofii ca un cuib (imi dau seama cat de original, ar trebui sa patentez ideea, hi-hi), in mijloc ceapa si feniculul, iar deasupra cateva felii de carne.
Se "picura"/"stropeste" putin sos (eu am turnat de-a binelea, pentru ca ne place mult sosul) in jurul cartofilor si se decoreaza farfuria cu frunzele pastrate de la fenicul sau orice verdeturi proaspete aveti sau va plac.
Pentru cei carora nu le place sau nu au fenicul, puteti folosi 3 cepe medii. Pentru cei carora nu le place ceapa calita, puteti folosi numai fenicul. Pentru cei carora nu le plac nici ceapa nici feniculul, poate niste spanac, desi nu e acelasi lucru. Sau niste ardei copti taiati solzisori, cu putin ulei si usturoi, sau ciuperci, si cam atat imi vine in minte acum.