Pork Medallions with Asian Black Bean Sauce

By Tamipri

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 1/4 c. fresh orange juice
• 1/4 c. Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
• 2 Tb. soy sauce
• 1 Tb. hoisin sauce
• 1 Tb. minced fresh ginger
• 1 Tb. toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb. each, trimmed of silver skin
• Sauce:
• 2 Tb. Chinese fermented black beans
• 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tb. Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry
• 1 Tb. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tb. peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tb. fresh orange juice

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a medium bowl whisk the marinade ingredients.

2. Cut off the thin, tapered end from each tenderloin and reserve for another use, or marinate and grill along with the medallions. Cut each tenderloin crosswise into 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2" thick. One at a time, stand the pork rounds on a work surface and, using the heel of your hand, slightly flatten into a round medallion about 1" thick. Place the medallions in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally.

3. In a small bowl filled with warm water, soak the fermented black beans for 10-20 minutes. Drain well. Coarsely chop the beans and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk the broth, rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Set aside.

4. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir until softened, about 20 seconds. Stir in the beans, then the broth mixture, and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice.

5. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Brush the cooking grates clean. Remove the pork from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the medallions over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the outsides are evenly seared and the centers are barely pink, 4-5 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 1/2-3 minutes. Serve hot with the black bean sauce.