Timing Dinner Right: A 30-Minute Game Plan for Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Shallot Sauce, Egg Noodles with Sage Butter and Tri-Color Zucchini

Timing. It is the bane of many a cook’s existence. I watched my mother fret about it for years (mostly when she was entertaining) and in nearly every cooking class I teach, students ask about it.

I am going to use this lovely, simple weeknight meal to not only share a great (low calorie!) recipe with you, but also to give you the step-by-steps it takes for you to own this meal with gloriously perfect timing. Do it here, and you’ll be able to do it again on a different meal.

Remember: you own this meal. You can get it all on the table, nice and hot, in about 30 minutes. All the prep you need to do for the pork, including measuring and chopping, will take you less than 15 minutes– but results in an elegantly satisfying dish. And it is perfect served with Sage Buttered Noodles and Tri-Color Zucchini, both of which require very little prep or attention. It’s all about the order in which you proceed.

Here’s the whole menu:

Pork Roast with Mustard-Shallot Sauce (recipe below)

Egg Noodles with Sage

Tri-Color Sautéed Zucchini

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil for the noodles.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°. Coat a baking sheet pan with cooking spray.

3. Season the roast and put it in the oven. Set the timer for 22 minutes.

4. Cook the noodles in the vigorously boiling water. Place a colander in the sink.

5. Wash and cut the zucchini into 1-inch pieces. (Quarter lengthwise and cut across in 1-inch chunks).

6. Make the sauce for the pork.

7. Drain the noodles, melt 1-2 tablespoons butter in the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled sage, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat,toss the noodles back in the pot to coat in the sage butter, and cover to keep warm.

8. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the zucchini, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a pinch of dried thyme and cook, not moving, until the underside is browned. (Only one side should brown.) Turn off the heat and let the zucchini finish cooking in the residual heat in the pan- it will be crisp-tender. (See the three colors? Brown, pale green flesh and dark green skin).

9. Once the pork is at temperature and has rested 5 minutes, slice it.

Dinner is ready! Place the pork on plates and top with the sauce; add the noodles and zucchini.

Is the step-by-step plan useful to you? I’d love to know.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Shallot Sauce

(1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large shallot, chopped (about ½ cup)

¼ cup white wine

½ cup low sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons country Dijon

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. coat a shallow baking sheet pan with cooking spray.
2. Season the pork with the salt and pepper, place on the prepared pan and roast in the center of the oven until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers between 140-145 degrees, about 22- 25 minutes. Let the roast stand for 5 minutes before slicing across on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices.
3. While the pork roasts, make the sauce. Melt the 1 teaspoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until it is somewhat softened, 1 minute. Add the wine and boil until it looks a little thicker and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and boil until it is again slightly thickened and creamy looking, about 3 minutes. Add the mustard and boil 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter. (Cover to keep warm, or gently reheat).
4. To serve, spoon the sauce over the pork.

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 236 calories, 28 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 10 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 422 mg sodium