Pork Medallions with Cranberries and Apples

In-season fresh cranberries get a star turn in this yummy sauce to serve over Match pork. If you already have fresh cranberries in your freezer, don't forget there's no need to thaw them before adding to the recipe.  Just give them a quick wash in a colander.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon vegan brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 ounces thawed Match pork
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup thinly sliced and peeled Rome apple
• 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
• Fresh sage sprigs (optional for garnish)

1. Combine the apple juice, broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, dried sage, and black pepper in a small bowl, and stir well with a whisk; set aside.

2. Cut the Match pork into 8 pieces.  Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten to 3/4-inch thickness.  You can use a meat mallet (yes I have one in my vegan kitchen) or rolling pin for this operation.  Do take care not to pound the pork pieces too thin, or the Match will come apart slightly.  Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the pork pieces in the flour.

3. Heat 3 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook for 2 and 1/2 minutes on each side; remove the pork from the pan.

4. Heat the final teaspoon olive oil in the pan and add the onion; cover, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden brown.  Return the pork to the pan, along with the apple juice mixture, apple, and cranberries.  Bring to a simmer; cover and cook a final 3 minutes, until the cranberries pop, stirring occasionally.

Add fresh sage sprigs as garnish for a lovely presentation, if desired.  I served this dish directly over a long-grain and wild rice mix (try the pre-packaged mix from Near East for convenience) with walnuts stirred in.  I added cauliflower on the side for a veggie, and had chocolate snap cookies from Mi-del for dessert.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (2 pork medallions, 1/3 cup cranberry mixture), Calories 262 

Tasting Notes:
A wonderfully delicate little entree, with thin pieces of pork in a subtle sauce.  The savory onions were a perfect foil to the tart cranberries and sweet apples, and the sage was just beautiful.  Next time I would increase the spices all around for more pronounced flavor, but that's really my only quibble.  I do highly recommend serving over rice; not only did it act as a bed to soak up the sweet apple juice mixture, but it also gave my teeth a bit more to sink into in contrast to the tart cranberries.

Rating:
3.5