Carrabbas Pork Tenderloin Fig Recipes

FIG AND BALSAMIC PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450F. Grease a cast-iron skillet with a bit of oil and set aside. (Alternately, you can use a rimmed baking sheet. Brush some oil on the baking sheet, as well).
• Prepare the pork tenderloin by removing any visible fat and removing the silverskin. Brush pork with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Place into a prepared pan or baking sheet, placing it along the side or at the end, if cooking potatoes alongside. Tuck the thin end of the tenderloin under, so that the pork is evenly thick from end to end.
• (If cooking potatoes alongside, halve or cube the potatoes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place into the skillet or onto the baking sheet, cut side down.)
• Place into preheat oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the pork registers 145F when measured with an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are golden.
• Remove from oven. Remove the potatoes to a bowl and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the pork to a plate to rest while you make the sauce.
• In the same skillet you used to cook the pork (or a fresh skillet if you cooked on a baking sheet), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook, stirring until softened. Add the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar and fig jam. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring, until sauce reduces and thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add a few thyme leaves to the sauce, if using.
• Return pork to the pan and re-warm, flipping it over a couple of times to coat with sauce. Remove pork to a plate and spoon warm sauce over-top or alternately, slice pork, then spoon sauce over-top. Serve with roasted potatoes.

PORK LOIN WITH FIG AND PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)
• For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total.
• Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.

STUFFED PORK LOIN WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Put figs in hot water to soak. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Wriggle a thin, sharp knife into each end of meat, making a kind of pilot hole. Then use handle of a long wooden spoon to force a hole all the way through meat, making it as wide as your thumb.
• Drain when figs are tender but not mushy, reserving liquid. Stuff figs into roast, all the way to center from each end.
• Combine salt, pepper and rosemary and rub it all over meat. Put meat in a roasting pan and pour about half a cup of fruit-soaking liquid over it. Roast undisturbed for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue to cook, basting with pan juices (or added liquid, like wine or water, if necessary) every 15 minutes or so. When an instant-read thermometer registers 145 to 150 degrees - probably after 40 to 60 minutes - remove roast to a warm platter. (When checking meat, be sure thermometer is in meat, not fruit.)
• Let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put roasting pan on stove over one or two burners set to medium-high. If there is a lot of liquid, reduce it to about half a cup, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits. If pan is dry, add half a cup of wine and follow same process. When sauce has reduced, slice roast and serve with sauce.

PORK MEDALLIONS WITH FIG & PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place figs in a small microwavable bowl and cover with port. Cover the bowl and microwave on High for 3 minutes.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add broth, thyme, bay leaf and the fig-port mixture. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Sprinkle both sides of pork medallions with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and dredge lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the medallions and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the reserved fig-port sauce; bring to a simmer and cook until the pork is cooked, but still a little pink in the center, about 2 minutes. The sauce should be syrupy. If not, remove the medallions with a slotted spoon to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Boil the sauce until its reduced and syrupy. Discard the bay leaf. Serve the sauce over the medallions.