Pork Loin with Brandy and Dried Cherries

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon red currant jelly
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation

1. Combine cherries and brandy in a small bowl. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325°.
3. Sprinkle pork evenly with mustard, pepper, and salt.
4. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 8 minutes, turning pork every 2 minutes or until browned. Remove pork from pan. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add cherry mixture, broth, jelly, thyme, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Return pork to pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours or until tender. Remove pork from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 3 minutes).
5. Wine note: Pork marries well with everything from riesling to cabernet sauvignon. The best match depends on the flavors used to cook the pork. In this case, the dried cherries, brandy, and jelly add sweetness. As a result, a thick, soft, jammy, fruity red like Australian shiraz would be a terrific partner. Try Grant Burge "Barossa Vines" Shiraz from Australia's Barossa Valley. The 2001 is about $11. -Karen MacNeil