This all started with an abundance of mini apples— so hard to resist at the market, yet always in such a giant bag. So I caved last week and bought said apples, and have since been eating two a day. I’ve even shared with my dog. Still plenty of apples lying around, and you know I’m not going to bake with them.
Enter Pork & Apples & Beans. Pork and apples is a lovely combination, as is pork and beans, so why not do it all? Sugary apples and caramelized onions seasoned with lots of garlic and fresh thyme make for the perfect savory-sweet combination. Cannelini beans soak up all the good flavors and some last minute wilted spinach adds just enough green to make this a balanced one pot dinner. Even better, it’s a quick cook! Be sure to have your ingredients fully prepped so that everything comes together at the same time. Side note— I like to leave the stems on the apples. You shouldn’t eat them, but look how cute they are!
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 (1¼ pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of any excess fat and silverskin
- olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, separated
- salt
- freshly cracked pepper
- 4 mini gala apples, quartered, seeds removed (or 2 large apples, sliced into eighths)
- ½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- leave of 5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- 1 large handful of baby spinach
Method
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large skillet or cast iron pan, preheat two tablespoons each olive oil and butter. Generously season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, sear the pork on both sides until golden brown, about 10 minutes in total. Transfer to a baking dish and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 140°F.
Meanwhile, reduce the heat on the skillet to medium-low. Place the apple wedges cut side down and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn to the second cut side and do the same. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add more oil to the skillet if needed and then sauté the onions until soft and translucent, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Deglaze the pan with wine and reduce by half. Add the vegetable broth, beans and thyme. Return the apples to the mixture and gently stir to combine. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook until the pork is ready, about ten more minutes.
When the pork is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for three-five minutes. Add the spinach to the bean mixture and stir until wilted.
To plate, spoon the beans and apples onto a serving plate. Cut the pork into half inch slices and place it on top. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
