Spicy pork tenderloin with leeks and fennel

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Pork and marinade:
1½ pounds Pork tenderloin -- trimmed
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons Rice wine or sake
1 tablespoon Garlic -- minced
2 tablespoons Honey
½ teaspoon Sesame oil
½ teaspoon Vegetable oil
Vegetables and sauce:
1½ pounds Fennel bulbs -- trimmed &
Julienned
¼ cup Soy sauce
¼ cup Scallions -- chopped
3 tablespoons Rice wine or sake
3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or
Worcestershire
1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
2 mediums Leeks, white and light green
Parts -- julienned
2 tablespoons Ginger -- minced
1¼ teaspoon Chili paste

Directions

Pork: Combine the pork, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, honey and sesame oil. Turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain the pork, reserving the marinade.

Heat the oil in a wok or on stick skillet over high heat. Sear the meat to dark brown on all sides -- 2 to 3 minutes per side. Roast the pork on a rack, basting it with the reserved marinade every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature registers 150 degrees -- 30 to 35 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Cut it into thin slices and set it aside.

Vegetables and sauce: Meanwhile cook the fennel in boiling water until it is barely tender -- 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the fennel, refresh it under cold water, drain again and set it aside.

Combine the soy sauce, scallions, rice wine, vinegar and sugar. Wipe the wok clean and reheat it. Heat the oil. Stir fry the leeks, ginger and chili paste until the leeks are soft -- about 1½ minutes. Add the reserved fennel and toss. Add the sauce mixture and pork slices. Toss to coat and serve.

NOTES:

1. The dish, unlike many Chinese style stir frys, reheats very well. By the second day, the flavors will have married to create something very special.

2. The original recipe calls for 1 ½ teaspoons of chili paste. Cut this back is you plan to reheat the dish; it heats up considerably upon standing.

Recipe By : Eating Well, January 1996 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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