Sunday, June 5, 2011

Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger


I love the quick meal ideas on the recipe cards included in the center of each issue of Cook's Country. This meal came from such a card. The pork tenderloin is tossed in oil then in cornstarch before it is sauteed. This coating really enhances the texture of the pork. I liked that this meal required so few ingredients, yet it yielded very tasty results!

Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger
Serves 4


1/2 cup raw cashews , chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup mirin (I used about 3 Tblsp rice wine vinegar + 1 Tblsp broth)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (16-ounce) pork tenderloin , trimmed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces snow peas , strings removed
6 garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1. Toast cashews in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Whisk broth, mirin, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in bowl until no lumps remain; set aside. Cut pork crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into ½-inch-thick strips. Toss pork and 1 tablespoon oil in large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and toss to coat. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of pork, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate and tent with foil. Repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.

2. Cook snow peas and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet until bright green, about 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk broth mixture to recombine and add to skillet. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Return pork, any accumulated juices, and cashews to skillet and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve. (We served it over cooked rice.)

Picture and Recipe Source: Cook's Country

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