COOKING: Roasted Pork with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Pork with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

Pork:

• 3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups red wine, such as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Pork: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over the pork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. 

Add the pork and brown it on all sides, about 8 minutes. 

Transfer the pork to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish and roast it until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 165 degrees F, about 25 to 30 minutes. 

Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.

*** SAUCE TIME ***

Sauce: In the same skillet used for the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

 Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

 Stir in the paprika, tomato puree and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. 

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 25 to 30 minutes.

 Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. 

Blend until smooth. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and pepper, to taste.

Slice the pork thinly and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce on top, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.