Monday, September 25, 2023

Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Shallots & Spinach and Dutch Apple Dumplings


 Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Shallots & Spinach

Prep 35 min refrigerate leftovers 3 days


3 large shallots

2 unpeeled large sweet apples   (Honeycrisp, Gala) 

3 T. olive oil, divided

2 T. balsamic vinegar, divided

1 T. ch.fresh thyme

1T. ch. fresh sage

1/4 tsp. fine salt + to taste

3 tsp.fresh ground black pepper + to taste

3 tsp. Dijon mustard, divided

1 1/4 lb. pork tenderloin, silverskin removed

1/3 C. no salt chicken broth or water

1 tsp. honey

3 C. baby spinach


Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Halve and peel the shallots, then cut each half lengthwise into three wedges so that each wedge retains a bit of the core to hold it together. You will wind up with 18 wedges of shallot. Core the apples, then cut each apple into 12 wedges, so that you have 24 wedges total.

Place the apple and shallot wedges on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and roast for 10 minutes on the middle rack, then toss, and continue to roast for another 10 minutes. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar, toss to coat, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the apples and shallots are tender, browned in spots and nicely glazed.

While the apples and shallots are roasting, in a small bowl combine the thyme, sage, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Rub 1 teaspoon of the mustard all over the pork, then sprinkle the herb mixture all over it, pressing it in to adhere.

In a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees and is slightly blushed in the center, 15 to 18 minutes. (When you add the skillet to the oven, transfer the baking sheet with the apples and shallots to the lower rack, if necessary.)

Transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest, and return the skillet to the stovetop (remember the handle will be hot). Add the chicken broth or water to the skillet and heat over high heat, scraping up the bits in the pan with a spoon, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons of the mustard and the honey. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.


Dutch Apple Dumplings 

Active time: 1 hour  Total time: 2 hours  6 servings

These rich apple dumplings are baked in hot, bubbling butterscotch syrup, so using a tart baking apple, such as Granny Smith, adds a nice contrast. These are great with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream.

Refrigerate leftovers, lidded , for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost completely in the refrigerator. To reheat: Microwave in 1-minute increments until they’re as hot as you’d like them to be. 

For the dumplings: 

Generous 3 3/4 C. AP flour+ for rolling out

1 T. baking powder

1/2 tsp. fine salt

2 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter

1 C. whole milk

6 med-lar. baking apples ( Honeycrisp, Granny Smith)

1/3 C. light brown sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon


For the butter sauce:


2 C. packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 C. water

1//2 tsp. fine salt

1 1/2 stick unsalted butter


Heavy cream for serving ( I used melted vanilla ice cream) (one was enough for the two of us)


Make the dumpling dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the cold butter into quarters lengthwise, then cut into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients, tossing them until they are evenly coated. Press the butter pieces between your thumbs and forefingers into small, flat pieces. Add the milk, and mix gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy, soft dough forms. It shouldn’t look too wet, but it shouldn’t have large clumps of bone-dry ingredients either.

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of plastic wrap and transfer the dough on top, patting it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap well and refrigerate while you make the butterscotch, about 10 minutes.


Make the butterscotch syrup: In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together the 2 cups of brown sugar, the water and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat so the liquid is at a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until fully melted and the syrup is smooth. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside.

Peel and core the apples. About halfway through prepping the apples, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften on the counter, about 5 minutes.

Assemble and bake the dumplings: Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough once horizontally and twice vertically into six square-ish pieces. (It’s OK if they’re not perfect. The size of the rectangle will depend on the size of your apples.)

Place an apple in the center of each dough square. Mix the 1/3 cup of brown sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl and sprinkle into the hollowed apple. Wrap the apples fully in the pastry, pinching off pieces of dough to patch holes as needed, then briefly roll in your hands while applying a bit of pressure to smooth them out. Transfer to the freezer to firm up the dough, about 10 minutes.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.


Arrange the apples in the butterscotch syrup in the pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until you can easily pierce into the dough-encased apple. (Place a large, rimmed baking sheet on the rack beneath the apple dumplings to catch any drips.)

Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan. Then, using a large spoon, scoop an apple and some of the sauce into each bowl and serve warm, with cold cream for pouring on top.





When the apples and shallots are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and add the spinach to the sheet pan and all but a few tablespoons of the sauce from the skillet. Toss to combine, allowing the spinach to wilt somewhat.

Thinly slice the pork and serve it over the vegetable-apple mixture, drizzled with the remaining sauce.

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