I couldn’t resist a recipe salute to my home state of Oregon! The harmonious flavor combination of a nice Oregon Pinot Noir, toasted hazelnuts, and mushrooms is hard to beat. You can use any red wine you prefer, but a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a perfect addition to this dish and your wineglass. (Yes, I’m biased.) Food on the go never tasted so good!
CONTAINER #1
4 boneless pork loin chops, cubed
CONTAINER #2
1 leek, green part discarded, white end sliced in half, washed, then sliced into half-moons
16 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
CONTAINER #3 (SAUCE)
2/3 cup (720 ml) Pinot Noir or red wine of your choice
½ cup chicken broth
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
CONTAINER #4
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
FOR SERVING DAY
2 TBSP (30 ml) coconut oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Serves 4
Prep Day:
Place the pork in airtight container #1, and refrigerate it.
Place the sliced leek and mushrooms in airtight container #2, and refrigerate it.
Place the wine, chicken broth, mustard, shallot, and garlic for the sauce in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (container #3). Shake it to combine the ingredients, and refrigerate it.
Place the hazelnuts in container #4, and set it aside.
Serving Day:
In an electric skillet set to medium heat, heat the coconut oil.
Sprinkle the pork with sea salt and pepper, and add it to the skillet. Stir to coat the pork with the oil, and cook until it has browned, about 2 minutes. Stir again.
Add the leek and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened, about 2 minutes.
Shake the jar of sauce to combine. Pour the sauce into the skillet, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes.
Serve the pork with a sprinkle of hazelnuts.
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Oregon Pork is Pacific Northwest comfort in a skillet: pork loin, leeks, and mushrooms in a pinot noir sauce with Dijon and shallot, finished with a shower of toasted hazelnuts. It's earthy, winey, and ready in about 20 minutes flat.
Pro Tips
- Wash the leek thoroughly after slicing — leeks trap grit between their layers, and nothing ruins a pan sauce faster than sandy vegetables.
- Toast the hazelnuts and coarsely chop them; that toasty crunch is the signature of this dish and should only meet the sauce at serving time.
- The pinot noir is both the sauce and the mood — use one you'd drink, and let the sauce come to a proper boil so the alcohol cooks off and the flavour concentrates.
- Brown the pork cubes quickly (about 2 minutes) and keep them moving — loin is lean and toughens if overcooked before the sauce reduces.
- A teaspoon of Dijon stirred into the wine and broth emulsifies the sauce and gives it that silky, restaurant-quality body.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different wine?
Any medium-bodied red wine works — pinot noir is the Pacific Northwest nod. A white wine version with the same method is lovely too, just lighter in character.
Is Oregon Pork paleo?
It is: pork, leek, mushrooms, pinot noir, chicken broth, Dijon, and toasted hazelnuts in coconut oil. No flour thickener and no dairy.
What can I use instead of hazelnuts?
Toasted almonds or pecans bring the same crunchy contrast. Whatever nut you choose, toast it fresh and add it at serving so it stays crisp.
How do I know when the pork is done?
The cubes should be browned and just cooked through after a few minutes in the sauce. Pull them as soon as they're done — lean loin turns dry fast.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Serves 4 Prep Day: Place the pork in airtight container #1, and refrigerate it.
- Place the sliced leek and mushrooms in airtight container #2, and refrigerate it.
- Place the wine, chicken broth, mustard, shallot, and garlic for the sauce in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (container #3). Shake it to combine the ingredients, and refrigerate it.
- Place the hazelnuts in container #4, and set it aside.
- In an electric skillet set to medium heat, heat the coconut oil.
- Sprinkle the pork with sea salt and pepper, and add it to the skillet.
- Stir to coat the pork with the oil, and cook until it has browned, about 2 minutes.
- Stir again.
- Add the leek and mushrooms.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened, about 2 minutes. Shake the jar of sauce to combine.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes.
- Serve the pork with a sprinkle of hazelnuts.
