Sautéed Pork Medallions
Not all sauté recipes start with dredging the meat in flour. Instead, this recipe demonstrates how meat can achieve a nice sear simply by relying on the high heat of the pan (and a little science, called the Maillard reactions; see page 126). To encourage browning, you must make sure the meat is dry, as moisture will hinder the process. First, pat the meat dry with paper towels and wait to salt it until just before cooking (since salt will draw the juices to the surface). The sautéed meat will leave golden-brown bits behind, so you’ll want to deglaze the pan and incorporate them into a pan sauce. This one is made with a fragrant combination of brandy, shallots, apples, and raisins (all good partners for pork) and finished with cream, which thickens as it simmers, giving body to the sauce.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Sauté Heat a large (13-inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, pat the medallions dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook (in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan) until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Step 2
Make pan sauce Add butter to pan and reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots, apple, and raisins. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so the apple browns evenly. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons water, cooking and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the water has evaporated. If after about 2 minutes the apple is not yet tender, add additional 2 tablespoons water and continue cooking a few minutes more. Pour in the brandy and cook until reduced by half, 30 to 60 seconds, then add heavy cream and any juices from the pork that have collected on the plate. Simmer until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in sage and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3
Serve Spoon pan sauce over medallions, garnish with small sage leaves, if desired, and serve.
