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Stir-Fried Pork Tenderloin with Brussels
Sprouts
For fun, I tried Chinese cooking techniques on Western
ingredients for a quick, savory cold-weather braised meat and vegetable dish.
The prep and cooking times were like those for actual Chinese cooking. Having
lived and cooked in Asia for many years, I do stir-frying in a wok very
frequently for family and friends. The cooking goes quickly, perfect for a busy
evening, and the results are bright flavored and a balance of the main protein
and crisp-tender vegetables. Usually cooking the rice defines the time from
starting cooking until eating dinner.
This time I used pork tenderloin, one of my favorite meats to
cook with. I worked with distinctly non-Asian Brussels sprouts and distinctly Western seasonings: no soy
sauce, ginger, sesame oil or cornstarch.. And I served it with baked potato. We
enjoyed dinner. I’ll be exploring this technique further with Western
flavors..
The recipe serves 4-6, when accompanied by potato, noodles,
rice or grits. A red wine goes well with the meal. And as with an actual
Chinese stir-fry, the dish should be served as soon as it is cooked, for
maximum freshness and texture.
1 medium pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
1 large shallot or small onion
1 medium clove garlic
3 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne
3 tablespoons crushed tomatoes or 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Water as needed
Prepare the ingredients and have them all available so that
the cooking, once started, can be quick.
Trim off tough or fatty portions of the pork. Slice it thinly
across (1/8 inch) and place the sliced meat on a platter. Trim off the tough
bottoms of the sprouts, then slice the sprouts lengthwise into quarters, and
add them to the platter in a separate pile. Peel the shallot or onion. Cut it
in half lengthwise, then slice the halves thinly lengthwise (julienne). Add it
to the platter in its own pile. Peel and
mince the garlic and place it on the platter. Have the oil and seasonings
ready.
Heat a wok or large frying pan to medium high. Add the oil
and fry the garlic 10 seconds, stirring. Add the pork and stir and fry,
scraping the bottom of the pan, until the raw color is mostly gone. Add the
Worcestershire sauce, red wine, salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir and fry till
pork has lost all raw color. Stir in the crushed tomato or tomato paste, then
add the sliced sprouts. Stir and fry until sprouts are becoming somewhat
crisp-tender, adding a little water if the liquid gets too dry. As soon as the
sprouts are crisp-tender, stir in the sliced shallot or onion, and cook,
stirring, for a final minute. Taste and add a little salt if needed.
Serve, accompanied by roasted or boiled potato, noodles,
rice, or seasoned grits.
