1 to 2poundspork tenderloin or loin, preferably in one or two pieces
Salt
2tablespoonscanola, sunflower, grapeseed or rice bran oil
SAUCE
1large shallot, minced
1/3cupMaraschino liqueur or brandy
1/3 cupglace de viande(see above notes)
1tablespoongreen peppercorns
20 to 30cherries, pitted and halved
1tablespoonred wine vinegar
2tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Take the pork out and salt it well. Set it on the cutting board for 20 to 40 minutes to come up to temperature. Do this before you start chopping vegetables and pitting cherries.
Get the canola oil hot in a large frying pan that will hold the pork all at once. Sear the pork on all sides over high heat, then drop the temperature to medium and cook the pork until it's done, about 10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer or the finger test for doneness to determine this: you want 145F for farmed pork, 155F for wild, which is medium-well.
Move the pork to a clean cutting board to rest, while you make the sauce. Add the shallot to the pan and cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat; you need at least a tablespoon of oil in the pan, so add a bit if you need to.
Take the pan off the heat and pour in the liqueur; this prevents it from igniting in your face. Set the pan back on the heat and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits in the pan. Add the glace de viande or cooked down stock, as well as the green peppercorns, and boil this down by half.
Add the cherries and vinegar and cook, stirring often so the cherries are all coated, for about 2 minutes. Take off the heat and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, swirling the first tablespoon to incorporate it before adding the second. Add salt to taste. Slice the pork and serve with the sauce.