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Potted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Onions and Apple

Ingredients

  • 2 pork tenderloins, well-trimmed and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel or fennel pollen

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Flour, for dredging

  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 4 medium onions, cut into thin wedges, root ends attached

  • 2 medium McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped

  • 2 fresh bay leaves

  • A few sprigs of fresh sage, very thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup calvados

  • 1 cup chicken stock or cloudy apple cider

Directions

Season the pork with fennel, salt and pepper and dredge the tenderloins in flour. Heat a few tablespoons EVOO, a couple turns of the pan, in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown the meat. Do this in two batches if your pot size demands it. Use a little extra EVOO if necessary for a second batch.

Remove the browned meat to a plate and add the butter to the pan.

Reduce the heat a bit and add the onions, apples, bay leaves and sage. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan to sweat the onions for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Uncover the pot and raise the heat a bit. When the onions start to brown, add the calvados to the pot. Add the stock, slide the pork back in, and simmer to cook through a few minutes more.

Serve from the hot pot.