Here's a cocktail to help you toast this bountiful blueberry season and a succulent, flavorful pork tenderloin with yep, you guessed it....more of the bright blue super fruit!
I've debated over the concept of a chunky cocktail because, does anyone want pieces of a plant or fruit pulp swimming around in their drink and clinging to the side of the glass?
While some may not, I decided that the fragrant herbal fragments and fruit particles floating in a martini glass of frothy alcohol laden deliciousness added a little fiber and antioxidant power. So there you have it...a healthy cocktail.
Oh, and there is just the simple fact that they taste wonderful!
My favorite part of spring and summer is the vast array of fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
Pineapple sage, which I've grown for the last 2 years, has a pleasant citrusy aroma and really tastes like pineapple.
Blueberries add sweetness and texture to the liquid. The pineapple juice enhances the pineapple flavor and coconut just brings it all together!
And it's super with the pork tenderloin shown below!
I'll cover more about Pineapple sage soon in my 'Growing Herbs For Cooking, Cocktails, and Culinary Crafts' section.
Blueberry Pineapple Cooler
Ingredients
1 C fresh blueberries (divided in half)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 C pineapple sage plus a few leaves for a garnish
3 oz vodka or blueberry vodka
1 C pineapple coconut juice
ice
Directions
Muddle 1/2 C blueberries, sugar, and sage leaves in a glass until you extract as much liquid as possible. Remove sage and pour the rest into a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour in your favorite cocktail glass and enjoy!
If you do not have access to pineapple sage you could use a few fresh pineapple chunks.
Blueberry Orange And Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Cranberries may have met their culinary match as a pairing for pork, especially during the summer months when local blueberries abound at the produce market.
Give the tenderloin a hit of orange marmalade and Grand Marnier, then round it off with the woodsy pine scent of rosemary, and you have all the components for a moist, memorable main course!
Ingredients
1 2 lb. pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste
1 C fresh blueberries
1/3 C brown sugar
1/3 C orange marmalade
1/2 C water
1/2 C Grand Marnier
3 fresh rosemary sprigs (2 in pan with glaze, 1 reserved for garnish)
Directions
Heat oven to 350. Season tenderloin on all sides with salt and pepper. Place in a 2 1/2 quart baking dish greased with non-stick cooking spray.
Add all of the above ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to bubble turn heat down to medium low and continue cooking until the blueberries start to pop and it thickens into a glaze consistency.
Baste 1/2 of glaze over the raw meat and save the rest to pour over the meat before serving. Cover casserole dish with a top or aluminum foil. Bake for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 145 to 155 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Carve into 1 inch slices. Drizzle remaining glaze over top. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
And if there are leftovers, chop some up in a salad with spinach and romaine leaves, cucumbers, red onions, feta cheese, and a light vinaigrette dressing.
Or, here's a country breakfast idea...Place a slice of pork inside of a buttermilk biscuit, fry an egg, and perk a cup of your favorite java!
What's your favorite way to enjoy leftover pork tenderloin? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack?
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