#COOKING WITH CLORIS--MYSTERY AUTHOR EILEEN CURLEY HAMMOND GRILLS UP PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Eileen Curley Hammond writes a cozy mystery series based in the fictitious small town of Hopeful. Her main character, Merry March, owns an insurance agency and loves to cook and eat. There are six books in the series so far, and they chronicle Merry’s adventures as a businessperson, amateur sleuth, and mother of a seventeen-year-old daughter. Learn more about Eileen and her books at her website, where you can also find links to her social media.

Although the books in the series don’t feature recipes, Eileen thought you might enjoy one of her favorites, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

Serves 6 

 

Ingredients:

One whole pork tenderloin (not pork loin) 1-1/2 - 2 lbs., silver skin removed (they usually are sold in a packs of 2; use both)

Marinade Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups white wine (I use Chardonnay)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dry)

 

Blueberry Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup blueberries

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon water

Pat pork tenderloins dry. The pork tapers on one side. Fold that over so that the meat is of similar thickness and fasten with a metal skewer or tie with kitchen twine.

 

Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl until combined.

Pour the mixture into a large, sealable bag. Place the pork tenderloins inside the bag and seal. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

 

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.

 

Shake marinade off pork and place in the middle of the grill. If you are using a gas grill, turn all knobs to low and put the lid back on the grill (you want to maintain the 400-degree heat but not burn the pork). Turn the pork every 5 minutes until it is browned on all sides. 

 

Cook the pork for a total of 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F. I like my pork on the well-done side; many recipes advise cooking the pork for 20 minutes—gauge based on how you want it cooked (but again, at least 145 degrees F).

 

Remove pork from grill, rest on cutting board, and cover with aluminum foil.

 

Place butter in small saucepan and melt on medium heat. Add shallots and cook till soft, stirring often. (about 2 minutes)

 

Add blueberries, maple syrup, and water. Cook for 5 minutes on low—do not over reduce; if it gets too thick, add a bit more water.

 

Slice pork tenderloin, drizzle sauce on top. 

 

Note: I don’t use salt or pepper in this recipe because I find pork seems to be already salty (maybe from the packaging), and the marinade is flavorful. If you would like, you can salt and pepper the pork just before grilling

 

Murder So Tempting

Merry March Mystery Series, Book 6

 

The Allure of the Unattainable

 

People pine for what they can’t have for a minute, a day, a month, and then move on. But those who don’t may be tempted to do the unthinkable.

 

Merry returns to Hopeful, becomes engaged, and jumps more than a few hurdles to get to happily ever after when her overzealous mother-in-law plans the ceremony. Unfortunately, that’s the least of her worries as an attendee at her marriage preparation class dies from a tragic overdose. Accident or murder?

 

A grief-stricken mother pulls Merry into her most dangerous investigation yet.

 

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#COOKING WITH CLORIS--BAKED PORK TENDERLOIN

Pork tenderloin is a great workweek main course because, unlike a pork roast, it doesn’t take very long to cook.

Baked Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 or 2 pork tenderloins (each tenderloin will feed 2 people)

1 tablespoon  olive oil

2-3 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 carrots per person, sliced (optional)

5 dried apricots per person (optional)

additional tablespoon olive oil (if adding carrots and apricots)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish.

Pierce tenderloins all over with a fork. Rub oil onto all sides of the meat.

Whisk together Italian seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and smoked paprika. Spread seasoning mixture onto cutting board. Roll tenderloin in seasoning, coating the meat on all sides. Place in prepared baking dish. Drizzle orange juice over top of tenderloin.

Optional: Toss sliced carrots and dried apricots with a tablespoon of olive oil and arrange around the tenderloin.

Bake 25-35 minutes until outside is browned and crispy and center cooked through.

Spoon juices from the dish over the meat. Cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing into 1” pieces. Spoon remaining juices over the slices.

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- SLOW COOKED MAPLE RIBS

The other day I found a great sale on pork ribs at the supermarket, so I asked Cloris to come up with a slow cooker recipe that would take little prep time. As a bonus, this recipe isn’t a gazillion calories per serving the way many rib recipes are because it contains little in the way of high caloric ingredients. -- AP

SLOW COOKED MAPLE RIBS
Ingredients:
non-stick olive oil cooking spray
2-1/2 lbs. country style pork ribs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
3 tablespoons dried minced onions
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Spray inside of slow cooker with non-stick spray. Cut ribs apart and place in cooker. Mix together all other ingredients. Pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low with 8 hrs.

Easy, right? Took me no time at all to prepare before leaving for work. When I came home, I made some fast-cooking brown rice and steamed broccoli. Voila! Dinner. It was delicious! Think you’ll give it a try? Post a comment, and you could win the book being given away this week by our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP