PORK LOIN WITH BLUEBERRY REDUCTION

One of my favorite things to do since I've begun keeping this blog is blog hopping. I try to visit new blogs each day and I've quickly amassed a new pile of "someday" recipes. One of my recent discoveries was Ally's Culinary Infatuation http://culinaryinfatuation.blogspot.com . I saw her recipe for a pork loin with a blueberry balsamic reduction and ran to my freezer to defrost a pork loin so I could make it the next day. Unfortunately, in my haste I forgot to bookmark Ally's blog--a fact I didn't discover until my computer closed down--and I couldn't remember the title. We didn't eat pork loin that night, but I was determined to find that blog and make that dish and, by God, I did. I'm very glad that I did so because it was delicious. It was also very quick and simple to make. This is Ally's recipe; the only thing I changed were the cooking times. I also made 2 one-pound loins. There was plenty of sauce.

Pork Loin with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

(2) 1 lb pork loins

1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

2 tsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring the pork to room temperature and season. Heat an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset) over medium heat and add the oil. Sear the pork on all sides until it has a nice brown color (about 3-5 minutes per side). Transfer pork to oven and cook for about 17 minutes more (until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees). Transfer the pork to a plate and cover with foil. Let it rest at least 10 minutes.

Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

1/4 cup onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tsp water

1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

1 tbs red wine

1 tbs fresh chopped basil

1/2 tbs unsalted butter

In the same Dutch oven, add the onions and cook about 5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, combine the blueberries and water in a microwave dish and cook about 1 1/2 minutes. Smash a bit with the back of a spoon. Add the garlic to the onions and cook another minute. Add the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the sauce is reduced by half (about 7 minutes). Slice the pork and spoon the sauce over the top.