Foodie Friday - Glorious Pig Edition

Another excellent use for that versatile cut, the pork tenderloin:

Pork "scaloppini" alla nonna

Every Italian grandmother, even my own self-confessed culinary disaster of one, has got a recipe for veal scaloppini, thin cutlets of veal pounded out, dredged in flower, browned, and served with some kind of Marsala sauce. My grandmother favored canned mushrooms and jars of store-brand, sliced, pitted black olives. Anyway, I have never been a great fan of veal. I find it texturally uninteresting and lacking in flavor. It also seems to me that while fois gras is so transcendent as to merit a little animal cruelty, a lousy cut of baby beef is not. Fortunately, a nice pork tenderloin makes a cheap, flavorful substitution. I cut mine crosswise and pound the medallions a few times with the flat side of my cleaver. For the sauce, I replace salty Marsala cooking wine with a little sweet vermouth, and instead of mushrooms use olives and artichoke hearts. This is a deceptively simple recipe with the most basic of seasonings, and it will surprise you with its finished depth and complexity.

1 pork tenderloin, 1 1/2 - 2 lbs., cut crosswise, medallions pounded flat with the flat side of a knife
several cups white whole wheat flour
1 red onion, diced
1 1/2 cups gaeta olives, blanched for a few minutes, drained, pitted, and then rough chopped
1 8oz. can of high quality, water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and rough chopped
1 lemon
1 cup sweet vermouth
extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, a generous pour of olive oil (the bottom should be well-covered) over high heat. In a bowl, mix a few cups of flower with a tablespoon or so of salt. In batches, making sure not to crowd the pan, dredge the pieces of pork in the flour mixture and brown on either side, probably no more than a minute per side, adding more oil as necessary. Set aside the browned pieces on a separate plate.

After all the meat has been browned, pour off the oil and wipe out the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the flame, add more oil, and, when it is hot, add the onion. Sauté until rosy and tender. Add the olives and artichoke hearts. Toss together. Add the vermouth and the juice of half the lemon. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium or medium low.

Return the meat to the pan, piling it on top of the sauce ingredients, and cover. Let it steam together for a few more minutes, which transfers some flavor directly into the meat and also ensures that it is tender, moist, and cooked all the way through.

Uncover. Remove the meat to a serving dish. Bring up the heat and boil off most of the remaining liquid until the sauce begins to thicken. Pour it directly over the meat. Garnish with cracked peppercorn and slices of lemon. Serve immediately.