Veal or Chicken Marsala are an Italian restaurant classic and this week I’m taking tradition in a new direction. My Pork Marsala makes a perfect Sunday supper or company entrée and you can use either medallions you cut from a pork tenderloin or simply pick up a package of thin pork loin chops.
Using thin chops makes this more of a quick and easy meal. You brown the chops, make the sauce and pour it over the top. When you make the recipe with the medallions, the advantage is that you can brown the medallions and prepare the sauce, cover and then refrigerate the dish up to a day in advance of serving. When ready to serve, just reheat on the stove or in a 350-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the medallions are completely cooked.
The name Marsala refers to an Italian wine that flavors the sauce. If you don’t have Marsala you can substitute sherry. And, if you’d rather not cook with wine, use another one-third cup of chicken broth and add a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the sauce.
Unlike many marsala recipes, this one has a bit more sauce and it’s enhanced by a little cream.
While I used pork in this version, you can always prepare the recipe with thin veal cutlets, boneless chicken breasts or cutlets and it’s also delicious with beef filet steaks. Just cook the steaks on the grill or pan-sear them and top with the sauce.
Serve with some garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans.
PORK MARSALA
1 package pork tenderloins containing 2 tenderloins, about 1½ pounds, trimmed of silver skin and fat, cut into 1-inch medallions or eight thin boneless pork loin chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
16 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup Marsala wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Place the medallions on a clean, flat surface. Sprinkle both sides of each medallion with salt and pepper and then use the palm of your hand to press each medallion down to flatten slightly.
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat until the butter begins to foam. Add half of the medallions, being careful not to crowd, and sear until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for the thicker tenderloin medallions, 1-2 minutes per side for the thin pork chops. Transfer to a platter or baking sheet and cook the remaining medallions. Set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, season with a little salt and sauté until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and then stir in the Marsala wine. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed. If using pork tenderloin medallions, return them to the skillet, heating through and turning once or twice, until done to your liking, about 3 to 4 minutes in all. If using thin pork chops, pour the sauce over the cooked chops, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Makes 4-6 servings.
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