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Only 2 tablespoon added fat (olive oil) but it's a dinner you'd be proud to serve at any special occasion. Fun to cook: Put 2 large skillets and a large saucepan on top of the stove - make lentils first, start the pork, then the sauce.
Servings: 8
Cider Lentils:
1 lb. tiny black lentils
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (paste)
3 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, minced
salt and pepper
Pork Tenderloins:
3 lbs. pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 or 5 large shallots, peeled and halved
Apple Sauce:
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 green apples, peeled and sliced in 1/2" wedges
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock or broth
zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon arrowroot
salt and pepper
Cider Lentils: Combine all ingredients (except salt and pepper) in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 40-45 min. till liquid has been absorbed. Salt and pepper to taste - remove bay leaves.
Pork Tenderloins: Pat pork dry, salt and pepper. In a large skillet over high heat, brown meat and shallots well on all sides. Cook until instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees in thickest part. Remove to serving plate, cover with foil and let sit 10 minutes before carving. (Save pan for finishing sauce.)
Apple Sauce: Put 3/4 cup cider, cinnamon and apples in large skillet, simmer 2-3 minutes till apples are just soft, remove them from pan and set aside. Add in rest of cider. Remove browned shallots from pork in pan; chop and add to cider with ginger, sage, and wine. Boil 4 minutes. Add chicken stock, boil and reduce by half. Add zest, whisk in arrowroot. Pour off fat from pork in pan; pour sauce into pan and scrape up any bits of meat - add in apples and reheat. Slice pork, arrange on plates with lentils, spoon sauce over pork and enjoy.
547 Cal, 11 G. Fat, 57 G. Protein, 463 MG. Sodium, 57 G. Carbo., 20 G. Fiber
