Bacon-topped Pork Loin Medallions with Sweet Onion Marmalade - Easy and sure to impress!

Bacon-topped Pork Medallions with Onion Marmalade

Oh this takes you to the SUN, the MOON, and the STARS. Serve with oven roasted potatoes and a cabbage wedge (or blue cheese grits and sautéed green beans) for an easy meal sure to impress.

2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

6 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup dry red wine

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup Muscadine jelly (or plum)

1 teaspoon chicken base

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Eight 1-inch pork loin medallions

1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

8 slices of thick bacon, cut in half so that each piece is about 4-5 inches long

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup beef stock

Mix 1/4 cup jelly and cider vinegar. In a skillet or saucepan, cook the onions over low heat with the butter and sugar until caramelized, 30 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the wine along with the vinegar mixture and chicken base; boil until the liquid is syrupy, 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Meanwhile, season the pork with salt and pepper; sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons rosemary and garlic. Top each medallion with two halves of bacon slice and tie together with string or secure with toothpicks. In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the pork, bacon side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 5 – 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate, turn the medallions and cook until desired doneness. Turn again to make sure the bacon is cooked and not soft. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil.
Remove the grease leaving only about 1 tablespoon; add the remaining 1/3 cup of wine and the balsamic vinegar to the skillet and boil, scraping up the browned bits, until reduced by half, 4 minutes. Add the stock, the remaining rosemary and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, 5 minutes. Add onion powder, rosemary, and remaining Muscadine jelly; season with salt and pepper. Remove the string and set the pork on plates.  Drizzle the balsamic syrup/beef stock mixture over pork and top the onion marmalade.