I just enjoyed my serving of szekelyalmas and we all loved it! I have no knowledge about Romanian cooking so I was somewhat worried that it might not turn out well. However, from the day I read the article, I couldn't stop thinking about this recipe and EUREKA!! it turned out great! I love the flavors, the textures, everything! I have often been disappointed w/ pork loin recipes because they can be SO DRY, but not in this case. Dumb luck? Of course, no clue about Holland chile pepper, but I read I could substitute Serrano and THAT I know. :-) Anyhow, thanks a whole lot for the recipe, it's a keeper. I didn't give it 5 stars, but only because, again, I know nothing about Romanian cooking and I have no point of reference. Delish!
Székelyalmás (Pork with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce)
The recipe for tender slices of pork loin in a sumptuous cream sauce comes from Gerda Gherghiceanu, a cook in the Saxon village of Viscri. Fragrant with marjoram, a key herb in Saxon cooking, the dish gets tartness from apple cider and apple wedges and a pleasant twinge of heat from red Holland chiles. This recipe first appeared in our March 2012 issue with Alexander Lobrano's article Eternal Terrain.
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Credit: Landon Nordeman
Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb. pork loin, cut into 1/4″-thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup flour
3 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 red Holland chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 1/2 cups regular or hard apple cider
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. finely chopped marjoram
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
1. Heat 2 tbsp. each oil and butter in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork on both sides with salt and pepper, and dredge half the pieces in flour; add to skillet, and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate, and set aside; repeat with 2 tbsp. oil, remaining butter, and remaining pork and flour; transfer all pork to plate.2. Return skillet to heat, and add remaining oil; add apples, garlic, onion, and chile, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cider, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add stock, cream, and mustard, and bring to a boil; return pork to skillet, and add marjoram. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with parsley; serve with rice.
Ratings & Reviews (4)
The recipe took longer than described, but my pork medallions may have been thicker. Will pound them to the recommended 1/4" thickness next time. The only change I made was to thicken the sauce with a teaspoon of cornstarch in cold water at the final step. Very yummy! Don't forget the rice!
It was fun to make and everything was sumptuous- HOWEVER, my husband, who went to culinary school thought that the amount of cider might have been incorrect. I followed the recipe to a T. It certainly had a terse rather than fragrant note- but we all (including my 15 year old daughter) enjoyed traveling to Transylvania for a night- with our own blizzard pounding at our door. Have a go at this recipe- it's worth it.
Needed an easy dinner and this one fit -Used apple juice and left out the pepper but very tasty sauce and the secret is not overcooking the pork-Slight pink is OK and even the children ate these-Very restaurant quality dish for home cook-I would thicken the sauce with a slurry though-Was a little thin but tasty over rice or noodles
Székelyalmás (Pork with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce)
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