Pork with Citrus-Rum Sauce

As soon as I saw this picture/recipe on Our Life in the Kitchen, I knew I had to make it. Immediately. It took me about 4 days to actually get around to it, but this one wasn't going on the back-burner for long!! I mean, the name alone is enticing, but the picture that accompanied the post made my mouth water. It's been a long week in the T household, with some medical procedures/follow-ups, and I've been waiting to fix this meal until she could actually eat it and enjoy it. I wanted to make a nice meal that could be enjoyed and kick off the transition back into "normal" life.

You see, this month has been a rough one for my bestie. Back in August she found out that she had a cancerous nodule in her throat and on August 30th she had to have her thyroid and lymph nodes removed. Last week she had 2 surgeries on her eye, and then Monday she had to take an iodine radiation pill as a follow-up to her surgery. This in turn left her terribly sick for 2 days and she couldn't keep anything down. Her tastebuds have been a little jacked from the iodine, so when she is able to eat, nothing seems to taste right. Add on top of all that, that she has a sweet little 6-month-old baby boy that she couldn't pick up after either surgery, and who had to go stay with Grandma during the radiation week - and you have a woman whose life has been turned upside down.

She and Mr. T have been kind enough to let me stay with them during my transition into my own apartment and single life, so I want to do what I can to help out around the house. The biggest contribution I can give right now is helping with the little one, and cooking. While not the same situation by any stretch of the means, I remember how hard it was for me when I got braces a couple of years back and I couldn't eat anything normal for a couple of months. Not being able to eat, or eat the foods I loved made life very unpleasant. She's had so much to deal with, and then not being able to eat on top of it all...I wanted to make her a meal as she begins to transition back to normalcy that she could enjoy.

The pork had a good citrus flavor (I believe the marinating process is important for this one!!) and I could definitely taste the rum in the sauce, but it wasn't overpowering. Overall the flavors worked very well together and I will definitely be making this again!

Pork in Citrus-Rum Sauce
Source: Our Life in the Kitchen

Ingredients

The Pork:

• Pork Tenderloin
• Orange, zest and juice
• Orange Juice, a few tablespoons
• Thyme, 1 teaspoon or a couple of fresh sprigs
• Creole Seasoning, 1 teaspoon
• Olive Oil, 2-3 tablespoons

The Citrus Rum Sauce:

• Orange Juice, 1 1/2 cups
• Chicken Stock or Broth, 1 cup
• Orange
• Garlic, 2 or 3 cloves
• Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or Creole Seasoning, just a dash
• Dark Rum, 1/3 cup
• Cream, 1/3 cup

Preparation

1.   Zest and juice one orange.

2.   Combine the zest, juice from the orange and enough more to make about 1/2 cup, thyme and Creole seasoning.

3.   Cut the pork tenderloin into slices about an inch thick.

4.   Pound them to about a 1/2 inch thick.

5.   Arrange the pork in a shallow dish and cover it with the marinade.  Refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours.

6.   For the sauce:  Slice an orange and crush the garlic.

7.   Combine the juice, chicken stock, and brown sugar.  Add a dash of Creole seasoning and throw in the orange slices and garlic.  Bring it to a low boil and let it cook until it’s reduced by about half.

8.   Fish out the orange slices and garlic.

9.   Add the rum and cream and cook for another minute or two over low heat. Remove from the heat and keep warm until serving.  If it’s going to be a while, just set it aside and gently reheat it just before serving.

10.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the pork for about 3 or 4 minutes per side, or until it’s done to your liking. I kept our a little zest from the marinade and sprinkled it  on the pork.  It’ll cook through enough that any marinade germs will be gone.

11.  Serve it up hot and drizzle with the sauce.  Enjoy!