A St. Patrick’s Day pork dish glazed with whiskey
A whiskey-based sauce over pork tenderloin cutlets is a perfect meal to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. “Water of life,” better known as whiskey, is believed to have been first distilled in Ireland. It is certainly very much a part of the Irish culture.
The balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts take only 2 minutes to make in the microwave.
HELPFUL HINTS
› Any type of whiskey can be used.
› Boneless pork loin chops can be used instead of pork tenderloin.
SHOPPING LIST
› To buy: 3/4 pound pork tenderloin, 1 small bottle whiskey, 1 jar Dijon mustard, 1 package brown sugar, 1 wholegrain baguette, 1 small bunch Brussels
sprouts and 1 bottle balsamic vinegar.
› Staples: Canola oil, salt and black peppercorns.
Whiskey Mustard Crusted Pork
3/4 pound pork tenderloin 2 teaspoons canola oil 1/2 cup whiskey
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon Dijon
mustard
2 slices whole-grain baguette
Remove visible fat from tenderloin, and cut into 1-inch-thick slices. Flatten the slices with a meat bat or the bottom of a heavy skillet to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, and brown 2 minutes, turn over and brown 2 more minutes. Remove to a plate, and add the whiskey to the skillet. Bring to a boil, add water, sugar and mustard. Raise heat and cook, stirring to make a smooth sauce, about 3 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Cook a little longer, if needed. Return pork to skillet, and warm in sauce for a minute. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees. Serve the pork with the sauce spooned on top. Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 534 calories (17 percent from fat), 9.9 grams fat (1.8 grams saturated, 5 grams monounsaturated), 108 milligrams cholesterol, 40.9 grams protein, 36.3 grams carbohydrates, 2.3 grams fiber, 445 milligrams sodium.
— Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
2 cups Brussels sprouts,
cut in half
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons balsamic
vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place Brussels sprouts in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high 2 minutes. Mix oil and vinegar together in a small bowl, and add to the hot sprouts. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 85 calories (50 percent from fat),
4.8 grams fat (0.4 gram saturated, 2.9 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 3 grams protein, 9.2 grams carbohydrates, 3.3 grams fiber, 24 milligrams sodium.
— Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.”