Veal or Pork Tenderloin with Apples

This is a really nice dinner party meal. The method for preparing veal scallops is simple and the technique works well with any other sauce. Originally for veal, but this recipe works fine with pork tenderloin medallions.

1 1/2 lbs. thinly sliced veal scallops (scallopini) or pork tenderloin, sliced into half-inch or so slices and hammered to thin scallops

2 - 3 Granny Smith or other “cooking” apples

Butter for sautéing

Salt and pepper

Flour to coat the meat

Cognac or Calvados (Like Cognac, but with a real apple in the bottle. Ponder that.)

8 ounces or so of heavy cream

Lemon juice or vinegar to keep the apples from turning brown (optional)

Peel, core and slice apples and soak in cold acidulated water. (lemon juice–keeps apples from browning–which probably doesn’t matter because they will be cooked.)

Pound meat to tenderize. Salt and pepper the meat then dredge in flour. Then sauté on high (don’t use teflon-you want bits to stick to the pan) in butter until browned (don't let the brown bits get too dark... cut the heat to control or shift to another pan). Don’t over cook the meat or it will be tough (a couple minutes per side). Remove to a platter and keep in warm oven while finishing sauce.

Add about 2 tablespoons or so of Cognac and the apples to the pan used to sauté the meat, stir over high to loosen bits in the pan and cook the apples until just tender. Remove apples and set aside, add cream to the pan and boil to reduce and thicken it a bit. Taste for salt. Put the apples back in the sauce, stir and pour over the meat on the platter. Serve immediately.

-Kate