Cooking from the market

We're going to barcelona this weekend! Last night we decided to take it easy, considering the train is leaving at 7:30 in the morning. So, for a down night, I made dinner(3rd time this week) and sangria. For dinner, we had pork tenderloin with tomato-balsamic pan sauce, served with sautéed finger potatoes and green beans. The approximate recipe was:

2 pork tenderloins, seasoned with salt and pepper

Vegetables:
2 lb finger potatoes
1 lb fresh green beans
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley
S/P
EVOO

Pan Sauce:
2 cups little cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
1/4 cup fennel, thinly sliced and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar(really not sure here, could be up to a cup)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp fennel tops, chopped(also known as dill)
S/P (be generous, potatoes usually need it)
EVOO

First, I boiled some water and blanched the green beans for about 2 minutes. Don't forget to salt the water, and when you take the beans out you want to put them in cold water to stop them from cooking(and stay green). Then, I filled the pot with new water and the potatoes, and brought them to a boil for around 10 minutes. You don't want to cook the potatoes all the way through, as they will finish cooking later. After pouring out the potatoes in a colander, return the empty pot to the stove over medium-high heat.

In addition, heat up a large metal pan on medium-high. Cover the bottom of the pan with EVOO. Cook the pork tenderloins(one at a time if the pan is too small) until browned on all side. Its important, when using metal, to not move the meat too much at first. After about 5-6 minutes, the meat will be nicely seared and pull off the pan. If you move it in the first couple minutes, it will usually stick to the pan.

Normally I would finish these in the oven, but couldn't since we don't have one in the hotel. So, they did end up taking about 20-25 minutes to cook in the pan.

Meanwhile, put about a quarter cup of EVOO in the other pot and add the potatoes. Add salt and pepper. After they start to brown, add the beans. About 4-5 minutes add the garlic and parsley. A couple minutes later they will be ready to serve.

Back to the pan used to cook the pork. After removing the pork from the pan, pour at the oil, but make sure to keep all the brown bits stuck to the pan. Add a couple tbsp of EVOO and put in the onion and fennel. Sauté for about 5 minutes, scraping up the pieces stuck to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minted, the add the tomatoes, a few minutes later, add the balsamic, herbs, and salt/pepper. Any bits stuck to the pan should easily come off with this balsamic. If you have any juices from the dish that the meat is sitting in, add that too. Allow the sauce to slightly reduce, about 5 minutes. Serve over the pork alongside the mixed vegetables.

On a side note, the sangria was great because of all the fresh fruit in the market across the street.