food stuff

sunday supper, volume 3: orange glazed pork tenderloin

Pork and fruity flavors are classic accompaniments to German Riesling, as are the spicy, salty flavors of many Chinese and Thai dishes. A dinner of spicy orange glazed pork tenderloin with garlic chive spätzle and braised napa cabbage was my attempt at marrying German cuisine with Asian ingredients to create something for a bottle of surprisingly but refreshingly sweet Spätlese. Coincidentally, you can read about Riesling in this recent New York Times article.

As a nod to greasy “Chinese” take-out joints around the country, the ubiquitous orange chicken was my inspiration for the orange glaze. We used this recipe for the spätzle (warning: it makes a LOT), omitting the nutmeg and substituting minced garlic chives (you could also use scallions) for the thyme and parsley. John is a natural talent when it comes to spätzle-making (it’s in his blood), and used the large holes on this cheese grater instead of a metal colander.

Spicy Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 to 1 pound), trimmed
6 pieces of ginger that are the same size as the garlic pieces
1/4 cup orange marmalade
juice of 1/2 small lemon
a few squirts of sriracha
2 tsp light soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
vegetable oil
salt
white pepper

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees. Make 6 small crosswise slits on top of the tenderloin. Stuff one piece of garlic and one piece of ginger in each pocket. Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine orange marmalade, lemon juice, sriracha, and soy sauce. Spread over tenderloin, and roast for another 10 minutes. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing, and drizzle reserved pan juices over the sliced pork.

Braised Napa Cabbage
1/2 head napa cabbage, cored and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
about 2/3 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
white pepper
sesame seeds

Heat oil in a large pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until transluscent. Add cabbage, stir, and cook until wilted. Add broth and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until cabbage is as soft as you like it. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper at the end of cooking. Garnish with sesame seeds.