Recipe #71 - Pork Tenderloin with Fig and Onion Preserves

_______________________________________________________________________________

I was flipping through "Food" section in The Commercial Appeal when this recipe caught my eye. My parents had a few fig trees on their property that were overflowing with fruit this year. I had been wanting to do a recipe with figs, but hadn't found the right one. Until now.

Though looking back now, I think I could have found one with more ingredients and levels of flavor, because it didn't turn out very well in my opinion. However, I hadn't preserved anything on this blog, so it wasn't a total loss. Ultimately, it's what this blog is for - trial and error.

Preserves:
Caramelize the onions, cook in a large saute pan over low heat in the oil for about 2 hours or until very dark. Add garlic about halfway through the cooking. Or, you can add the onions and  garlic to a slow cooker and cook for about 12 hours. (Grease the inside of the cooker with vegetable oil spray before adding onions.)

To prepare figs, wash, remove stems and cut them in half. Add port and cook over low heat for 1 hour or perhaps longer, until most of the liquid is gone.

Combine the onion and the figs, season with salt and pepper, and pack in a 1-quart jar or 2 pint jars. Seal in a hot water bath or refrigerate.

To make tenderloin, season with salt and pepper and place in a shallow cover dish. Mix preserves, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, and pour over. Cook covered at 275 degrees F for about 30 minutes, then uncover for 10 minutes, careful not to overcook the pork.

Remove pork and set aside to cool, and put pan sauce in a small pan to reduce slightly. Add a pat of butter to thicken if desired.

Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Rating: 4
Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Preserves:
3 pounds onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil, optional
2 pounds figs
About half a 750-ml bottle port
Salt and pepper, to taste

Tenderloin:
1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fig and onion preserves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon butter, if desired