Pork Medallions with Rhubarb Chutney

I wouldn't normally give you two pork recipes back to back but I couldn't wait any longer to post this. It is one of the tastiest things I've eaten in--oh, I don't know--the last ten years??

I know it may sound hard to believe but this is one amazing recipe, the spicy chutney blends perfectly with the the pork and the polenta makes it heaven. I don't know if you remember me mentioning weeks back that I didn't care for polenta but Kelly at Love Well sent me a recipe that has changed my ways forever. I'm including it below.

If you don't have rhubarb on hand, though I think it's available in many groceries, you could think about substituting something like granny smith apples and tart cherries perhaps. It would be different but not bad either. If you're in Anchorage and need some rhubarb swing by, you can raid my patch.

for chutney:
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups finely diced rhubarb
½ cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine first 8 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, onion and cranberries, cooking until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens slightly (five minutes). Cool. Sprinkle pork with cumin, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy pan and brown pork on all sides about five minutes. Transfer meat to a roasting pan and brush with 6 tablespoons of the chutney. Roast until meat thermometer registers 155, brushing occasionally with more chutney as needed. Cook for approximately 25 minutes at 400. Slice pork into medallions and serve with polenta and remaining chutney.

for polenta:
¾ cup corn meal
3 cups water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup milk

Mix first four ingredients and bake in greased baking dish for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. When done, stir in butter and milk until mixture is creamy and serve immediately.

Technorati tags: pork, chutney, rhubarb, polenta