Recipe: Pork Medallions with Blueberry-Balsamic Ketchup

Sometimes the wintertime blues can be just what the doctor ordered, especially if they're the kind that grow on bushes.

Besides being a delicious addition to your diet, blueberries have been linked to numerous health benefits. And the good news is that it doesn't seem to matter whether you consume fresh, frozen or even dried blueberries.

Of course, it's easiest to eat blueberries out of hand or sprinkled over yogurt or cereal (just 40 calories per half cup serving), but they also make an excellent addition to cooked dishes, and not just the usual desserts and bake goods. Blueberries can have a savory side, too.

Consider adding fresh or dried blueberries to your stuffing next time you roast a chicken or turkey. They even make a surprising addition to a meatloaf or burger, especially when blended with savory ingredients such as onions and Dijon mustard

For this recipe, blueberries are cooked down with chopped onion, minced fresh ginger and white balsamic vinegar to make a sweet and tangy ketchup to accompany lean pork tenderloin. But the ketchup would go just as well on top of a burger.

The technique for cooking the pork calls for dredging the medallions in seasoned Wondra flour because it creates a beautiful golden crust. But in a pinch, you can always use regular all-purpose flour instead.

Pork Medallions with Blueberry-Balsamic Ketchup Makes 4 servings

For the ketchup:

2 1/2 cups blueberries

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the pork:

1/4 cup Wondra flour

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. To make the blueberry-balsamic ketchup, in a medium saucepan over medium-high, combine the blueberries, brown sugar, onion, vinegar, ginger and salt. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Adjust the heat so the blueberry mixture is vigorously simmering and cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries have popped and the ketchup has thickened slightly, 20 to 25 minutes (the ketchup will thicken more as it cools). Remove from heat and set aside.

2. To make the pork, in a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together flour, thyme, pepper and salt. Slice the pork tenderloin on the diagonal into 1-inch thick medallions.

3. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil.

4. Working in batches, dredge the pork medallions through the flour mixture then place them in the hot skillet. Cook the pork until golden-brown and no longer pink at the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve the pork medallions immediately, topped with the blueberry-balsamic ketchup.Note: This recipe makes more blueberry-balsamic ketchup than you will need. Don't worry, it's delicious on just about any red meat, including in place of classic ketchup on burgers.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 490 calories; 63 calories from fat (13 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 92 mg cholesterol; 77 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 3 g fiber; 328 mg sodium.