This is a recipe I learned long after you all moved out to live your own lives. I wish I'd have tried it back then - I think you would have loved it, and we could have afforded it. Even though it tastes and looks elegant it's really made from simple ingredients, things that we almost always had on hand. Give it a try, you won't be sorry!
I adapted this recipe from one I found in Saveur magazine. I've portioned it for two here, since it became one of my favorite recipes to make for Dave and I.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound bacon, chopped fine
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, & sliced into 1"-2" pieces
- 1Tbsp brown sugar
- Salt & pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Sweet onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup port or brandy
- 1/2 tsp. sage
- 1 pound pork loin
Cook bacon over medium heat in cast iron skillet until crisp. Drain and remove to bowl. Toss apples with sugar in a bowl. Saute' in same skillet until apples are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and add to bowl with bacon.
In same skillet melt butter, add onions, and sauté' for about 20 minutes until golden. Add vinegar and golden raisins and sauté' until thickened. Add sage and brandy and reduce.
Place pork loin in bottom of ceramic or glass casserole, and cover with apple-bacon mixture. Pour sauce over top, cover the casserole with a lid or foil, and place into oven for 1 hour.
After baking remove pork loin and place onto warm plates, and cover with the apple-bacon-raisin mixture. Cover plates with foil to retain moisture. Pour liquid into saucepan and reduce til thickened. Pour thickened sauce over pork loins and serve.
