In a Hurry? Savor some Raspberry and Thyme Glazed Pork Medallions

This time of year, while we are all running around in a cocktail party and holiday shopping induced haze, it is nice to know that a delicious, home-cooked, weeknight dinner is only 30 minutes away. It’s an added bonus when that meal could also double as the main course at a dinner party. That, my friends, is the beauty of “Savor the Moment”; a treasure trove of fabulous, fast and, in many instances, frugal meals right at your fingertips.

Tonight’s recipe, Raspberry and Thyme-Glazed Pork Medallions (pg. 165), is tasty as well as a real time saver: the recipe itself is only 5 sentences long. In addition, I bet you even have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now (yes, even you "non-cookers"): canola oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and raspberry preserves. All I had to pick up at the store was the pork tenderloin, red onion and some haricorts verts. I actually doubled the recipe because it only “serves two” and, of course, I always like to have some leftovers.

Once home, I sliced the tenderloin into 1 ½ ” thick medallions and sautéed them in the heated canola oil until they had some nice, brown color to them. As Anne Burrell, one of my favorite chefs, says, “brown food tastes good!” So true! I watch her show "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" religiously every Saturday morning at 10:30am on Food Network (don't ever call me then). I always learn something new and, in additon to being a brilliant chef, she's also the kind of gal you'd love to hang out with because she just seems like so much fun. I had the chance to meet her at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival in Miami back in January. What a fun night!

After the pork was seared, I added the onion, vinegar, orange juice and raspberry preserves and simmered for a few minutes. Next, I stirred in the thyme, salt and pepper and cooked until the sauce was slightly reduced and voilà – dinner was ready! I served the pork with the sauce generously spooned over the top with steamed haricorts verts, wild mushroom orzo and, of course, a nice red wine. I went with the 2007 Brophy Clark Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. This wine is from California’s Central Coast and is bursting with ripe, red cherry flavor and light toasty oak; a great match for this dish. The dish itself is actually sweeter than I anticipated because of the raspberry preserves so be prepared for that juicy, burst of sweetness.

All in all another tasty dish perfect for satisfying your appetite for less time in the kitchen this holiday season, without sacrificing any of the fabulous flavor. Don't forget to purchase your copies of "Savor the Moment" for holiday gift-giving at http://www.jlbr.org/. This is one gift that definitely keeps on giving!