Pork Tenderloin Part II!
This is what I did with the second half of the one-pound tenderloin that I used for the Herbed Pork Roast with Broccoli Spaghetti.
Note: the Broccoli Spaghetti became a bit of a debate over on the Facebook page. Click below to see them.
Well, not really a debate–rather a discussion on whether or not spaghetti and broccoli was an appetizing dish.
Verdict: this recipe, not so much. But if we brought some dairy to the party, it would be a different story.
But back to Pork II:
Like the other recipe, I had the wrong cut of meat, so instead of a long roast, I just gave it a sear and put it in a 350 oven for about 13-15 minutes.
The result? A LOT OF THICK ORANGE SAUCE:
The meat, which was marinated in garlic and rosemary, was juicy and savory. But the sauce was too much. If I were to do this again, I would have stopped with the orange marmalade, which would have been a nice glaze (like the apple jelly from the last recipe).
But I will say that I welcomed the return of the Mandarin Orange, which popped up numerous times in the 1972 series– so much so that it spurred me to write (after only making 10 of the 118 cards):
So far how many times have I used fucking mandarin oranges and slivered almonds? It seems as though they are in every other meal! I feel rather confident that no one in the 70’s ever had to worry about scurvy and whatever disease that almond consumption would stave off because one or both are included in every other meal.
- 31. Chow Mein
- 39. Bettan’s Chicken
- 47. Mexican Chili Con Carne
- 50. Lamb Curry
- 55. Hamburger Pie
- 76. Stuffed Green Peppers
- 103. Mandarin Chicken Salad
And if you are wondering what that other orange thing is–in lieu of baked sweet potatoes, I made jalapeno-cilantro mashed sweet potato. Yes, it is exactly how it sounds. It was ok.
Good heavens, that’s a lot of orange.
I had a recipe for a sausage dish that used orange marmalade – I don’t remember it clearly as this was a good 22, 23 years ago – but to this day I can remember the taste of that marmalade. I also remember the promise I made to never use orange in any dish ever again.
That said, I can’t get over how well your recreated photos are! You do a great job of capturing the essence of a 1970s-era table!
An interestingly modern interpretation of side dishes. Roast pork w an orange glaze sounds like the way to go. Haven’t seen a sprig of curly parsley garnish a plate in years! Except maybe at a diner. Such a nostalgic thread throughout these cards. Not sure it’s even sold at supermarkets anymore.
Cool knife and fork — I like the pattern! The pork looks pretty good. I have marmalade and tons of oranges; may have to give it a try.
I’m more disturbed about that gravy boat than about spaghetti-gate. After discussing it with some friends and noticing that the “gravy” is slightly mounded, our general consensus is that the boat contains applesauce/cinnamon applesauce and the culinary weirdos just forgot to include it as a side. ; )