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Rania's Recipes: Pork Tenderloin & Vassilopeta

Christmas has come and gone and now you may be looking for meals to prepare for your New Year's Eve party. If so, be sure to try out these two from Rania Harris!

Pork Tenderloin With Apricot Chutney

  • 1 ½ cups dried apricot halves
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
  • 2 jalapeno chiles - seed - stems removed - finely chopped
  • 2 medium red bell peppers - seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ½ cups sugar
  • 3 whole pork tenderloins
  • Olive oil
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Soak the apricots and raisins in water for several hours or overnight.

Pour the dried fruit with their soaking water into a sauté pan, adding more liquid to at least half the depth of the fruit. Add the zests, jalapenos, and bell peppers and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.

Add the juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; add the sugar, and simmer, stirring very frequently, until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 30 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Rub the tenderloins with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the tenderloins in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Slice and arrange decoratively on warm plates. Spoon chutney over the slices.

Serves: 6

Vassilopeta (New Year Bread)

  • 2 packs yeast
  • 1/2 cups lukewarm water with 1-tablespoon sugar
  • 1-cup sugar
  • 1-cup milk
  • 1 stick of sweet butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 7 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 egg beaten with 1-tablespoon milk
  • Sesame seeds
  • Lucky Coin

Directions

Proof yeast in sugar water until yeast mixture begins to bubble.

Place milk in microwave and heat until hot. Remove milk from microwave and add butter - stir until butter begins to melt place all liquids with 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, and eggs in bowl of Cuisinart stand mixer fitted with the bread hook – begin to blend ingredients together on low speed. Continue adding flour until dough forms and is no longer sticky. Remove from the bowl and briefly knead on a counter lightly dusted with flour. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place - covered - until doubled in volume.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Cut each half into three pieces and roll into long ropes. Braid the bread and then form it into a wreath. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and tuck your lucky coin (wrapped in foil) into the bread. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Allow the bread to rise again until doubled in size. Bake in 350 degree oven until bread is golden brown and when tapped, it sounds hollow. It will take about 30 minutes. Allow cooling before slicing.

Yield: 2 large round braided loaves

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