Asian XO sauce gets an Italian twist in this rich, umami-forward take on a classic Mediterranean dish. Stir-fried broccolini is drizzled in a sweet, salty Italian XO sauce and served with seared garlic pork atop warm polenta … the stuff dinner dreams are made of.
Ingredients
Servings
Serves 4
1 1/4 pounds Pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups Broccolini, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup Italian-Style XO Sauce
2 cups Chicken stock
2 cups Milk
1 cup Instant polenta
1 cup Shredded parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
2 tbsps Butter
Procedure
1. Place pork in large bowl. Add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon (1ml) of the sea salt, pepper and vinegar; toss to coat well. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of the oil in large skillet on high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides. Remove pork from skillet. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil in same skillet until shimmering. Add broccolini; stir-fry until tender crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in XO Sauce, tossing to coat broccolini. Return pork to pan; cook and stir until heated through.
3. Meanwhile, for the Polenta, bring stock, milk and remaining 1 teaspoon of the sea salt to boil in large saucepan. Whisking constantly, add polenta in thin stream. Reduce heat to low; stirring constantly, simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and butter. Serve pork and broccolini over Polenta with additional XO Sauce. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.
CHEF's TIP!
Test Kitchen Tips:
• XO sauce, the iconic condiment, was first created in Hong Kong. Meant to impress, it is known to be a luxury blend typically made with dried shrimp and scallops, Chinese dry-cured ham, garlic and various chiles. The ingredients, combined in a base of oil, create an intense sweet, salty, rich umami flavour.
