Friday, April 2, 2010

Pork Tenderloin Roulade



This recipe is 5 ingredients long- yep, you read right, 5 ingredients! Though the grocery list isn't long, it definitely doesn't fall short on flavor. It's also a nice presentation since the ingredients are rolled in the pork. Try it, and trust me, you won't be disappointed.
The original recipe called for charring the pork on the grill, but it's the first week of April and we got snow today, so we weren't planning on going outside. Instead, I chose to braise the pork over med-high heat in a pan and then finish the cooking in the oven. It was nice and caramelized on the outside and slightly pink in the center, just the way I like it. Because I browned the pork before finishing in the oven, I had all of those lovely browned bits on the bottom of the pan. I don't know about you, but I can't let all that flavor go to waste, so I quickly chopped some veggies (carrots, onion, celery and shitakes), threw them in the pan to saute then deglazed with a splash of red wine and simmered till tender in some chicken stock. It was a nice accompaniment to the stuffed pork tenderloin. In a couple of weeks, I plan to prepare this recipe just as it was intended- on the grill and see which we like best. For now, here's my recipe:

Pork Tenderloin Roulade (serves 4)
1 1 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
salt, pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

Place pan over med-high heat and add olive oil. Slice tenderloin lengthwise, cutting to, but not through the other side. Open halves, laying tenderloin flat. Place tenderloin between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle shallots, goat cheese, walnuts and thyme on tenderloin. Roll up, starting with long side, secure pork at 1 inch intervals with twine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put tenderloin in hot pan to sear on all sides until browned, about 3-4 min. per side.

Remove from pan and place in a dish. Cover with tin foil and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until inside is just slightly pink. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice and enjoy!

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