Shane isn’t a fan of citrus + meat, so this recipe, also from the November 2009 Bon Appetit, was a bit out on a limb for us. It also highlighted a problem with the way I approach recipes – but, in the end, everything worked out just fine. Shane is a methodical cook – in the best sense of the word. He reads recipes closely and diligently prepares his mise en place. I am much more likely to skim a recipe, estimate the time I have for each step, and only prep the first few steps before starting to cook. My approach worked fine for last night’s recipe – the halibut needed 8-10 minutes in the pan before anything else went in – but tonight I made a total mess of the kitchen, crashing around in the tiny windows between steps.

Despite my poor preparation, everything came together in the end, and in about half an hour we were filling our plates with sticky, delicious stir-fry.  The pork was perfectly cooked, and the clementines were sweet with just a hint of salt and heat.  Shane was uncertain about eating the skins, and I wished for more greens on my plate.  A solid recipe, but not as tastebud-blowing as the previous two.

Recipe:
Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry with Tangerines and Chili Sauce from Bon Appetit