Apple Sautéed Pork with Shiitake Mushrooms and Shallots Recipe

Apple Sautéed Pork with Shiitake Mushrooms and Shallots

from Cooking Secrets of the Culinary Institute of America

Apple Sauteed Pork with Shiitake Mushrooms and Shallots

Ingredients:

24 shallots
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
6 tablespoons applejack brandy
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Marinade:

1 1/2 cups apple cider
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 whole cloves
3 cloves garlic, chopped
18 pork medallions (3 ounces each)
Serves 6

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in
Cooking Secrets of the Culinary Institute of America
from Chronicle Books

Chef Wayne L. Almquist: The rapid pace of today's society has brought streamlining to everything, including pork! Today's pig farms are raising delicious meat that is much leaner and therefore far better for us than ever before. Fall squash is a nice addition to this menu, and my recipe here can be used for many different types of squash. This vegetable is similar in taste, regardless of type, but the preparation method given here will add some new flavors.

In a glass bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the pork, making sure that it is well covered with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, then remove the pork from the marinade and strain and reserve the liquid.

Meanwhile, boil a medium pot of water, drop in the shallots, and cook for about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Peel them.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonreactive sauté pan over medium heat and add the mushrooms and shallots. Sauté until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan. Add the applejack and reserved marinade to the pan. Bring to a light simmer and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by one third.

While the liquid is reducing, heat the olive oil in another large sauté pan. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side, or until thoroughly cooked and opaque throughout.

When the marinade and applejack mixture has reduced to a saucelike consistency, blend in the remaining 6 tablespoons butter.

To serve, arrange some of the mushrooms and shallots, with 3 pork medallions on each of 6 plates. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork and garnish with a rosemary sprig.