Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

by Victoria Challancin

The original recipe for this scrumptious dish, a PAM No-Stick Cooking Spray contest winner posted in Southern Living magazine, was called Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cherry Apple Chutney.  With apologies to the PAM company, I eliminated the oil spray, used a small pork loin instead of tenderloin, substituted dried cranberries for dried cherries, added a touch of smoked chipotle chile, and still came out with a fantastic cool-weather dish.

This dish comes together quickly.  The chutney can be made while the meat, simply seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper roasts in a medium-hot oven.  The resulting tart-sweet condiment is absolutely fantastic and could be easily paired with chicken as well as pork or served with goat cheese as a bruschetta. Out of necessity, I also substituted chipotle chiles in adobo sauce for the chilli sauce in the original recipe.  Another variation might be to add finely chopped fresh rosemary and garlic to the oil that is rubbed into the meat. 

The leftovers are just as good served cold as they were hot!  All in all, this is a very elegant dish that required minimum effort.

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

(Adapted from a recipe from Southern Living Magazine)

For the meat:

1 (1 1/2-lb) pork tenderloin or small pork loin

2 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse-grain salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Chutney:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples

3/4 cup cherry preserves

1/2 cup dried sweetened cherries or cranberries

2 tablespoons chopped chile chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels, rub all over with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in a roasting pan.  Roast meat for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat registers 160 degrees.

To make the chutney:  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1/2 cup diced onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.  Reduce heat to medium, and stir in diced apples, cherry preserves, dried cherries or cranberries, chile chipotle, and Worcestershire sauce.Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until apples are slightly softened.

Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.  Cut pork diagonally into 1-inch thick slices, and arrange on a serving platter; spoon Cherry-Apple Chutney over pork.

Enjoy!

Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.