Don't you love it when a meal is quick to prepare, tastes fantastic and looks great too? My easy, flavour-packed spiced pork medallions with pomegranate jewelled cauliflower 'couscous' definitely fits the bill.
The hero of the dish is a set of gorgeous pork medallions. They're super easy to cook and wonderfully healthy as they're naturally lean and high in protein. They're super versatile, suited to all sorts of meals from Sunday roasts to Tuesday Tacos to in-a-hurry family meals. They have a lovely mild flavour that holds flavour perfectly, which makes them ideal to partner with a quick, spicy marinade.
I chose a simple Moroccan-style marinade that takes seconds to bring together. And since we're using such healthy cuts, I've paired the medallions with a fun, low calorie take on couscous made with blitzed cauliflower and lifted up with fresh herbs, balsamic and pomegranate seeds. It's full of flavour and just a little bit fruity which is something pork pairs with tremendously well.
Here's how to make it.
Ingredients
For the spiced pork
- 8 thin cut pork medallions
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 vegetable oil
For the 'cauliflower 'couscous'
- 1 medium (1kg / 35 oz) cauliflower, floreted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- pinch salt and pepper
- 150g (5 oz) pomegranate seeds
- 10g (0.3 oz) fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
For the marinade
Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix well.
Add the pork medallions and mix well, then cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour and up to eight hours.
For the cauliflower 'couscous'
While the pork is marinating make the couscous by tipping the florets into a food processor and blitz until fine. You may need to do this in batches if your food processor is small.
Put the cauliflower into a dry frying pan and remove any lumps. Put the pan over a medium-low heat and dry fry for 10 minutes until excess water is gone and the cauliflower appears to have reduced in volume. Keep an eye on it and keep stirring, as it can burn easily once the moisture starts to escape. Turn off the heat.
Add the oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and stir through.
Stir in the pomegranate seeds, cover the pan and set aside.
To cook the pork
Heat a frying pan to a medium high heat and fry the medallions for 3-4 minutes until the juice runs clear when poked and only a tiny bit of pinkness remains. If you have a meat thermometer, aim for a temperature of 150C in the centre of the meat.
Place on a board to rest for five minutes.
To finish
Stir the coriander into the couscous.
Serve!
Fancy trying it? Let me know if you do!
Here’s the spiced pork medallions with pomegranate jewelled cauliflower 'couscous' recipe in printable form.
For further recipe inspiration visit www.lovepork.co.uk and share your recipe ideas!
Spiced pork medallions with pomegranate jewelled cauliflower 'couscous'
Ingredients
For the spiced pork
- 8 thin cut pork medallions
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 vegetable oil
For the 'cauliflower 'couscous'
- 1 medium cauliflower floreted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- pinch salt and pepper
- 150 g (5.29 oz) pomegranate seeds
- 10 g (0.35 oz) fresh coriander finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
For the marinade
- Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix well.
- Add the pork medallions and mix well, then cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour and up to eight hours.
For the cauliflower "couscous"
- While the pork is marinating make the couscous by tipping the florets into a food processor and blitz until fine. You may need to do this in batches if your food processor is small.
- Put the cauliflower into a dry frying pan and remove any lumps. Put the pan over a medium-low heat and dry fry for 10 minutes until excess water is gone and the cauliflower appears to have reduced in volume. Keep an eye on it and keep stirring, as it can burn easily once the moisture starts to escape. Turn off the heat.
- Add the oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and stir through.
- Stir in the pomegranate seeds, cover the pan and set aside.
To cook the pork
- Heat a frying pan to a medium high heat and fry the medallions for 3-4 minutes until the juice runs clear when poked and only a tiny bit of pinkness remains. If you have a meat thermometer, aim for a temperature of 150C in the centre of the meat.
- Place on a board to rest for five minutes.To finish
- Stir the coriander into the couscous and serve.
Nutrition
This is a commissioned post for the Love Pork.
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Kara says
Saving this recipe, always struggle with pork but these sound amazing
Angela Ricardo Bethea says
I am a big fan of couscous and totally love this spiced pork medallion. I have to give this a try asap! I am so craving for a big bite! It looks oh so yummy and tasty.
Emma says
I can't believe how effective the cauliflower cous cous looks?! I love pomegranate but never tried it in cous cous so I will give this alternative a go!
Ali - We Made This Life says
This looks delicious and so easy to make too! I love the bright colours in the cauliflower 'couscous'.
Jenny says
This sounds delicious! I love pomegranate! Sounds relatively easy to make too!
Elodie says
This looks incredible. I'm currently travelling around and don't have a kitchen but I will 100% try this when I get home!
The London Mum says
That sounds and looks like the most delicious meal. I'm going to have to try it out at home!
Gareth Torrance says
Oh man, reading this first thing in the morning was a really bad idea... Now I'm really hungry!
Super Busy Mum says
This looks absolutely delicious. I've not even had my dinner yet so it's making me especially hungry!
Rebecca Smith says
We love pork medallions at the best of times so this would definitely go down well in my household. The 'couscous' sounds very intriguing!
Rani says
This looks delicious! I’m gonna try and make a vegetarian alternative to this, fingers crossed it looks half as good as yours lol!
Jacqueline says
My mouth is watering looking at these pictures. Super easy, quick and nutritious! This recipe has all the points I look for when making a meal. I love flavour so this really appeals to me. I will try this couscous recipe. I never thought to make it using cauliflower! Thanks for posting this recipe :)
Patrick says
This pork dish looks amazing and maybe a novice cook like myself could make it without burning down the house.
Sarah Bailey says
All your meals always sound so delicious. I have to admit I do love a good pork meal as well so this is another one I am going to have to add to my to try list. Thank you.
five little doves says
Ahh I love how pretty this dish is! That cauliflower couscous looks amazing and not something I have ever tried before! We are big fans of pork and yet we tend to have in the same way, I am definitely going to try this!
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
Looks lovely Emily. I still haven't made Cauliflower Cous Cous..... MUST rectify that! x