Care a Fig For Simple Meals

Last time I went shopping, there wasn’t an incredible amount of variety in meat choices. So, I purchased a pork tenderloin because there were plenty of those. With my anchor ingredient set, I decided something fruity would pair nicely with it. I decided to experiment with some fresh figs and repurpose leftovers for many simple meals.

Figs

Figs are my favorite in sweet and savory preparations. I am amazed at how many people say they don’t care for them. My friend, Amber, suggested that perhaps it’s because their first experience was with a prepackaged fig bar and that’s a sorry waste of a fig. I don’t mind fig bars myself, but I certainly would not say they express the true character of a fig.

Cooking Pork

I must say that I have a tendency to overcook pork tenderloin. My mother-in-law does it beautifully, but I have trouble serving it too pink. The package instructed me to cook this small one for 30-35 minutes at 350.

After preheating the oven, I rubbed the tenderloin with some olive oil and sprinkled with a little:

• salt
• garlic powder
• cardamom

Put it into a casserole dish and cooked for 25 minutes before adding the quartered figs so everything could cook together for another 10 minutes to equal 35.

When I took the pork out of the oven, I removed the figs to a plate and sprinkled with a little salt. After resting for about ten minutes, I started slicing the tenderloin and decided to put it back into the oven for another 10 minutes because it appeared too pink for my sensibilities. (I don’t have a working thermometer at the moment, so if I am afraid that it’s underdone, I would rather cook it a little more just to be sure.) Before returning the baking dish to the oven, I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar in there along with some chopped red onion.

Zero waste cooking means the leftover pork reappeared in subsequent simple meals.

For another idea on adding fruit to your main dish, please read Feelin’ Caribbean next.