Pork Medallions With Cherry Port Sauce

After a Cook's Illustrated recipe, Sept 1997. Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots can substitute for the cherries. To promote even cooking, cut your slices to a uniform thickness. If it helps, lay a ruler in front of the loin and slice at the one-inch marks. If you’ve got one, cover the pan with a splatter screen to prevent splattering.

• Ready In: 17 mins
• Serves: 3
• Yields: 1 tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon table salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  lb  pork tenderloin
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup port wine
• 1⁄2 cup  sweet dried cherries
• 2⁄3 cup  canned low sodium chicken broth
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh rosemary
•  table salt
•  ground black pepper

Directions

1. Remove the silver skin from the tenderloin: slip a paring knife between the silver skin and the muscle fibers. Angle the knife slightly upward and use a gentle back-and-forth sawing action.
2. Slice the tenderloin into 1"-thick slices. Smack each slice with the flat of your chef's knife once or twice, to flatten them to about 3/4" thick. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of pork slices.
3. Heat oil until shimmering in heavy-bottomed pan, at least 10 inches across bottom, over medium-high heat, swirling pan to distribute oil. Working in batches of no more than six slices to avoid overcrowding, sear medallions without moving them until brown on one side, about 80 seconds (oil should sizzle, but not smoke). Turn medallions with tongs to avoid scraping off the sear; sear until meat is mostly opaque at sides, firm to the touch, and well browned, about 80 seconds. Transfer pork to plate.
4. Set pan in which pork was cooked over medium-high heat; add port and cherries. Boil, scraping pan bottom with wooden spatula to loosen browned bits, until liquid reduces to about 2 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to high; add stock or broth, rosemary, any accumulated pork juices; boil until liquid reaches consistency of maple syrup, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Reduce heat to medium; return pork to pan, turning meat to coat. Simmer to heat pork through and blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pork to serving plate and spoon sauce over meat. Serve immediately.