Spicy Korean-Style Pork Tenderloin Medallions

Spicy Korean-Style Pork Tenderloin Medallions, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

We've been dealing with a round of colds in the house. Bob's been sick three times in the past two months and just got over the last one a week ago. I wasn't so lucky this time and got caught. I'm not sure if it was just a bad cold or the flu, but I was pretty wiped out for two days and finally started feeling more like myself just today.

The family's had to fend for itself, eating leftovers and fastfood. I decided to celebrate my improved health by fixing one of my favorite new pork dishes. I found this recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine about two months ago and happened to have some tenderloin in the freezer. I like the lean quality of tenderloin, but I've been wanting a recipe that improves the moisture and flavor because of the lack of fat. I love Chinese food and have recently started experimenting with Thai, Indian, and Korean cooking. The combination of vinegar, sugar, garlic and ginger makes a deeply-flavorful marinade. The quick-cooking keeps the meat tender. Original recipe suggests serving the meat over a bed of Thai-style coleslaw.

SPICY KOREAN-STYLE PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS

Serves 4

1 1/4 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed of all silverskin, partially frozen
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili sauce, like Sriracha

Cut the pork on the diagonal into 1/2-inch medallions. Set aside.

Mix together marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag. Add the pork medallions. Seal the bag and be sure the meat is evenly coated with the marinade. Marinate for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator or 25 minutes at room temperature, rotating the bag after half the time to keep the meat coated..

Spray a heavy 12” skillet with non-stick spray. Heat over a med-high flame until shimmering hot. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and transfer the pork to a clean plate. Discard the marinade and add half of the pork medallions to the skillet, spacing them evenly. Cook them without touching until well browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the pork is just cooked through, about 2 more minutes.

Wipe out the pan if the drippings look too brown and spray the pan again. Add remaining meat and repeat the cooking process.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with cilantro and/or chopped green onions.

Adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine #78

Per Serving: 316 Calories; 12g Fat (33.9% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 92mg Cholesterol; 1140mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.