Makes 4
Take care not to overcook the pork tenderloin, which is extremely lean and very tender—the center should be slightly pink when you remove it from the pan (it is returned to the pan in the end to quickly finish cooking). If you have one, use a mandoline to slice the fennel into whisper-thin slices, otherwise, use a very sharp knife.
2 oranges or grapefruits, or a mix
2 cups shaved fennel (on a mandoline, or sliced paper thin with a very sharp knife)
12 Greek olives, pitted and halved
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
1½ pounds pork tenderloin, cut into ½-inch-thick slices and pounded to a ¼-inch thickness
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more as needed
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ cup capers, rinsed and drained
8 pepperoncini, with or without seeds, thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups white wine
½ cup Garlic Puree (here)
Segment the oranges or grapefruits (see here) over a large bowl to catch the juices. Add the fennel and olives to the bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set the salad aside.
Sprinkle flour on one side of each tenderloin slice and shake off the excess. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, slip the tenderloins, floured side down, into the pan and sauté until the edges lose their pink color and the centers are light pink. Transfer the slices to a plate and continue sautéing the remaining pork, adding oil to the pan as necessary.
Add the sliced garlic, capers, and pepperoncini to the pan and sauté until the garlic is soft and begins to take on color. Stir in the pepper flakes. Add the wine and stir in the garlic puree. If the sauce is thicker than the consistency of heavy cream, stir in enough water to thin it. Add the pork back to the pan, pink side down, and cook for about 30 seconds, until the pink color disappears.
Divide the pork among four dinner plates and spoon the pan sauce over. Top with the orange-olive-fennel salad and serve.