Blueberry-apple sauce goes well with pork

Even in our global economy, it remains difficult to find some ingredients in Wichita, Kansas. Yesterday I wanted to make black currant sauce from my new French cookbook. The recipe called for either fresh black currants (uh huh!) or a jar of black currants in syrup. I went to my newly expanded Dillons store, where it seems they sell everything imaginable, but had no luck. I went to a specialty market, but all I found there were the same cans of gourmet goods Dillons offers, for twice the price. I will continue this quest through the winter. As for dinner last night, I substituted blueberries and ended up with a nice berry-and-apple sauce to serve with pork tenderloin.

I did find Chambord black currant jam at Dillons, and I dolloped a bit of that in as my blueberries were cooking. Here's the recipe, adapted from "My French Kitchen," by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde.

Pork with blueberries and apples

1 can blueberries in light syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pork tenderloins
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon black currant jam

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the tenderloins over medium heat until golden all over. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. When internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, transfer to a platter. While meat is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan and cook apples for 10 minutes, until golden. Add cinnamon.

Strain the blueberries and reserve syrup. Put the syrup and jam into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cut remaining butter into pieces and whisk to make a glossy sauce. Add the blueberries. Add the apples. Slice the pork and serve with the sauce. (Very nice with potatoes.)