Pork Tenderloin

Team this outstanding entrée with some steamed broccoli and a fruity Zinfandel.

The ultimate dinner-party dish for a wintry evening, this is robustly flavorful and sophisticated. It's also simple to prepare. Market Tip: Don't buy pork tenderloins that have been pumped with salts and preservatives. Avoid anything that contains 10 percent water solution or phosphates.

"The Garden Restaurant in London's Gatwick Airport Hilton hotel serves a pistachio-crusted pork loin in plum sauce that's just delicious," Pete Koronis of Clayton, Missouri. "I'd really like to try making it."

Serve with: Red-skinned potatoes roasted with thyme, and steamed green beans.

The filling of these savory Latin pastries, served at Café Iguana, in Denver, Colorado, is accented with chilies, raisins and almonds.

The robust sauce doubles as a marinade for this easy and elegant entrée. Begin preparing well before serving so that the pork has time to marinate. Accompany with boiled green beans and a full-bodied Zinfandel.

Offer with the mashed potatoes and some steamed broccoli. Have crunchy ginger cookies for an easy dessert.

Tamales are traditionally served in the southwestern United States and in Mexico at Christmas. In this easy do-ahead version, corn husks are wrapped around spicy pieces of pork tenderloin. The husks keep the pork tender and juicy as it cooks. What to drink: Pinot Noir.

Pork fillet, or tenderloin, contains about as little fat and cholesterol as chicken. Available now in most supermarkets, it is tender and moist. In this recipe, the pork is marinated in honey, jalapeño peppers, and nuoc mam, the fish sauce of the Vietnamese, then grilled.

Pipián is an earthy, pureed seed sauce that is traditional in Mexican cooking. Serve this dish with rice to soak up the sauce.

Maple syrup brings sweetness and warm color to the pork. Wild rice pilaf, brussels sprouts and a Gewürztraminer would be nice accompaniments.

Serve the kebabs with some rice to round out the meal.

To round out this menu, serve roasted squash, corn muffins and boiled green beans with orange zest. End with vanilla ice cream topped with warm chestnuts in syrup.