Apple Pork Medallions

Pork tenderloin is one of the gentler proteins to cook well on a weeknight, lean and quick and forgiving of a slightly imperfect sear. What takes real attention here is the dredge: pat the pork dry first, or the arrowroot will not stick, and work in 2 batches if your pan is crowded so each medallion actually browns instead of steaming. Small technique, real difference in the result.

Cinnamon is one of the few warming spices AIP keeps, and it is thought to help support a steadier blood sugar response, and a steady response is worth something on a day that needs your energy to hold. Quercetin comes from the apples in the pan sauce, a compound under study for its role in calming inflammatory signaling in the body, still an early and hedged finding but a real one. Choose pork from a farm that treats its animals decently, when that option is within reach; it is part of the meal too.

Build the sauce in the same skillet you seared the pork in, scraping up what caramelized there. Nothing here is wasted, and the dinner that comes out of it tastes like more effort went in than actually did.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups peeled and sliced Fuji apples, 1/4 inch slices
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, for the dredge
• 1 tsp sea salt, for the sauce
• 2 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch medallions
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Method

In a shallow dish, whisk together the arrowroot starch, onion powder, garlic powder, and the 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Set aside.

Pat the pork medallions dry with a paper towel - this helps the arrowroot adhere and gives you a better sear. Press each medallion into the arrowroot mixture, coating both sides and shaking off any excess.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the medallions in a single layer without crowding - work in two batches if needed. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden on the outside. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Remove to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the apple slices to the same pan and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the cinnamon, honey, apple cider vinegar, and the remaining 1 tsp sea salt, stirring to combine. The liquid will pick up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the pork medallions to the skillet, nestling them among the apples. Scatter the fresh thyme over everything. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, turning the pork once, until it is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly from the residual arrowroot.

Serve immediately, spooning the apple sauce generously over each portion.

*Adapted from Wendi's AIP Kitchen*