Greek Recipes: Kalamata Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary

We still had not found Kalamata olives here in Taiwan so we opted to try this recipe without any olives, for fear the ones we did have would completely ruin the dish.  Pulled from Allrecipes, I found this to be an excellent choice.  I am sure it would be heavenly with the Kalamata olives added.  The recipe calls for a dry red wine and I used the Mourvedre that we would be drinking with the meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pork tenderloin medallions
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/8 cup sliced kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon minced lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound the meat to 1/4 inch thickness. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge pork in flour to coat.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork in olive oil until browned, turning once. Transfer meat to a warmed plate.
3. Reduce the heat to low, and add rosemary and garlic to the pan. Pour in wine, and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is thick. Pour in chicken stock, and boil until volume is reduced by half. Stir in olives and lemon zest. Pour sauce over the meat, and serve.

Servings: 4

To serve with the dish, we had a Greek Potato Stew that also came from Allrecipes.  This dish also called for Kalamata olives so I did use the green Spanish olives but only a very little amount.  Sadly, mine came out more like a stew than it should have as I had dinner ready but Brett got stuck at a late evening meal, so I had to try and keep the food warm which didn’t work so great.  Although it was a bit mushy, it still tasted great! 🙂

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup whole, pitted kalamata olives
• 1 1/3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and stir. Stir in the garlic. Add the olives and cook and stir for several minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and oregano.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Servings: 6

Wine Pairing: 2004 Lava Cap Mourvedre Reserve