Versatile pork tenderloin may be grilled, roasted, sautéed or braised for a meal that is just as welcome at the weeknight supper table, as it is for special occasion dinners. Because of pork’s mild flavor, it is particularly suited to a variety of preparations, particularly those that include herbs and spices, marinades and various sauces. Taking this into account, the Roasted Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Marmalade-Mustard Sauce recipe here embraces all of those enhancements, first with a wet rub marinade, consisting of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, sage and allspice, then by a basting sauce comprised of orange marmalade, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and fresh grated ginger. After treatment such as this, you’ll want to pair the pork with a less assertive side dish, like roasted butternut squash. Prized for its fine-textured flesh, sweet, nutty taste and bold orange color, butternut squash is the most popular of all the winter squashes. Although butternut squash is available all year long, it is actually in season right now, making this the optimal time for buying it. So, besides eating roasted butternut squash as is, look for ways to use it, both savory and sweet – in things from soups and stuffing’s, to cakes, pies, muffins and more.

Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com.