Pork Paillards with Sour Cream Paprika Sauce

As symbol of love, I like to make a pork dish every once in a while for husband. He has a busy two weeks in front of him and aside from being understanding of his lack of free time there isn’t much I can do to help. I can, however, make the time he spends away from his desk as enjoyable as possible. Not having husband around as much in the evenings is always tough. Thankfully I have so many projects going at once that it’s easy to keep myself occupied. Little one takes up a majority of my time but there’s also diapers to wash, a house to keep somewhat clean, pets to fuss over, Christmas gifts to make and little one’s alphabet wall that I am eager to finish by his first birthday (10 days).

This recipe helped me accomplish three goals: show husband I’m thinking of him, make a quick dinner and try a new recipe. Last weekend I went through my binder’o’recipes and threw away several I knew I wouldn’t get to. If it had been sitting in the binder since 2007 and I never made the recipe chances are I wouldn’t make it. This is one of those recipes that had been sitting around for a while and I didn’t have the heart to throw it out. Thank goodness I kept it.

This recipe is a keeper! Even though I hardly ever eat pork (unless it’s a fancy European bacon type of pork) I could easily see myself adding this to our menu plans frequently. The pork cooks quickly after it’s been sliced and pounded. The pounding of the pork is actually quite therapeutic after a tough day. The sauce comes together quickly as well. The original recipe recommended adding more sour cream for a thicker sauce. I took it upon myself to add some sage in addition to the paprika, thyme could also be a good addition. Reviews recommend adding onions or shallots to the sauce which sounds very yummy. I served this over brown rice but egg noodles would be good too!

2 lb. pork tenderloin

2 T. grapeseed oil
¼ c. dry white wine
½ c. chicken stock
1/3 c. sour cream
¼ tsp. paprika
Pinch of sage

How to make a paillard: Trim any fat on the tenderloin and run a knife under any silver skin to remove. Slice pork on a bias into ¼ inch to ½ inch slices. Place slices between layers of plastic wrap and pound with the smooth side of a mallet until the meat is uniformly thin, 1/8 inch to ¼ inch thick.

Season pork paillards on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add five or six paillards, and sauté on one side until golden brown, about one to two minutes. Turn and sauté paillards until cooked through, about one minute more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining paillards.

Add wine to skillet, and deglaze the pan, scraping brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer until wine reduces by half, about one minute. Add chicken stock and any plate juices. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce reduces by half, about two minutes. Gradually stir in sour cream, paprika and sage. Season to taste, and sprinkle with more paprika if desired.

http://www.marthastewart.com/318154/pork-paillards-with-sour-cream-paprika-s