Grilled pork medallions with peppers and onions
Grilling season just hasn't quite gotten here yet, but with that great invention the grill pan, you can approximate it. (It works any time of year that you don't feel like dealing with the outdoor grill.)
This recipe from the book "Chef on a Shoestring" works for both grill and grill pan. I liked it for the kids because the vegetables stay colorful and a bit crunchy, and because the parts work together but can be enjoyed apart, which seems to be key to a successful meal for us.
The kids ate well (when it came to the meat, at least). Then, when asked, Sam claimed he hadn't liked it...
"I just tried it a lot," he said.
Then he asked for some of the leftovers the next night.
(Photo by me)
Michael Lomonaco's Marinated and Grilled Pork Medallions
Serves 6 to 8
1 3-pound pork loin
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wedges
2 large onions, cut into wedges and skewered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cut the pork loin into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Combine the cider, soy, honey, ketchup, and ginger in a bowl. Place the pork medallions in a large, flat dish and pour the cider mixture over them. Cover and let the pork marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat an outdoor grill, or an indoor grill pan, until hot. When ready to grill, brush the vegetables lightly with oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place on the grill or grill pan and grill for 8 minutes. (If you are using a grill pan, you will have to work in batches.) Remove the pork from the marinade and drain for a moment.
Season the pork to taste with salt and pepper and grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side over high heat to coincide with the end of the vegetable cooking time. (If you are using the grill pan, remove the vegetables and cover to keep warm while you cook the pork.) Watch the medallions closely; they will cook quickly because they are thinly sliced. Be sure the pork's juices run clear when removed from the grill. If they do not, return to the grill and cook for another 30 seconds or so on each side.
Adapted from Chef on a Shoestring, edited by Andrew Friedman
Per serving (based on 8): 335 calories, 38 grams protein, 15 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 113 milligrams cholesterol, 432 milligrams sodium
