The PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PRUNES AND ONION is a delicious main course, simple yet quite refined in taste. It can be served, without spending too much, at a festive lunch or for distinguished guests. It’s quick to make but very interesting culinarily thanks to the sweet-and-sour flavor that pairs well with the tender pork tenderloin, which should be accompanied by a delicate yet tasty sauce.
This dish, with humble rural origins, combines a few simple but flavorful ingredients: dried prunes, which give sweetness and body to the sauce; onion, which adds aroma; and Marsala, a classic of Italian cooking that enriches the meat with fragrance and flavor. Bay leaf, pepper and, especially, rosemary—perfect with pork—complete the dish, giving it a delicate but interesting taste that makes it truly special. One important note: cook the meat through (pork should not be served rare), but leave it slightly pink so it remains tender and juicy.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 1.5 lb (700 g))
- 2 large yellow onions (large)
- 4.2 oz pitted dried prunes (about 3/4 cup, pitted)
- 3.5 tbsp butter (about 50 g)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 glass Marsala (about 1/2 cup (4 fl oz))
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- 1 Pan
Steps
Preparing the PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PRUNES AND ONIONS is really simple and accessible to everyone.
First, put the prunes in a bowl and cover them with the Marsala. Let them soak for 20 minutes.
Slice the onions to a thickness of about 3/16 inch. In a large pan put the butter, the olive oil, the bay leaf, the rosemary and the onions. Lightly salt and pepper them, then sweat over low heat for 10 minutes.
Trim any excess fat from the pork tenderloins, then place them in the pan, adding more oil if necessary. Brown them over medium heat on all sides and season with salt.
Deglaze with the Marsala in which you soaked the prunes, raise the heat and let the alcohol evaporate.
Cover with a lid, lower the heat and let cook for 15 minutes.
If it becomes too dry, add a little water. When cooking is almost complete, add the prunes and let everything simmer together for 5 minutes. Do not overcook it otherwise it will become tough.
Turn off the heat and let the pork tenderloin with prunes rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute evenly through the meat.
Then slice it into pieces about 3/8 inch thick and serve with the onions and prunes.
