Oodles of flavor in this simple and quick weeknight recipe. Inspired by a recipe in “How to Roast a Lamb” by chef Michael Psilakis, two umami-packed ingredients are used for this dish: sun-dried tomatoes and olives. But instead of applying the ingredients to lamb, they are used as a big Mediterranean flavor boost for lean, mild pork tenderloin.
They are combined to make a relish-like pan sauce to finish pork tenderloins seasoned with Dijon, garlic and oregano. A quick sear followed by pan-roasting ensures the meat gets caramelization on the exterior, but also cooks speedily. Serving suggestions: a simple salad, carrot medallions, crusty bread, or rice or orzo pilaf. BTW, you will need an oven-safe 12-inch skillet for this recipe.
Don’t sear the pork until deeply browned. Instead, aim for light, spotty charring, which takes about 4 minutes. Also, don’t worry if the drippings in the skillet become very dark and even smoke lightly during roasting. Deglazing the pan to make the sauce will loosen the drippings.
Confession. It was our intention to cut the amount of meat in half (keeping the other ingredients the same). While at the grocery store, we both had a senior moment because we picked up a pork loin filet, and not a pork tenderloin, which usually come two to a package. In all honesty, the cooking times worked just as well with the filet. All-in-all, we loved the dish which we paired with cooked carrot medallions and a side salad.
Pork Tenderloins with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Green Olives
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
- 2 tsp. minced fresh oregano, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 1¼-lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed of silver skin, halved crosswise
- 1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced
- ½ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- ¼ cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
Directions
- Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of oil, the minced oregano, garlic, mustard, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the pork, turn to coat and rub the seasonings into the meat.
- In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the center of the thickest piece reaches 135°F or is just slightly pink when cut into, 9 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven; the handle will be hot. Using tongs, transfer the pork to a platter and let rest while you make the sauce.
- Set the skillet over medium and add the shallot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the shallot is lightly browned, about 1 minute.Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, vinegar and ¼ cup water, then cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the tomatoes are plumped and the mixture has the consistency of a loose relish, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Thinly slice the pork and return to the platter. Spoon the sauce over it and sprinkle with the chopped oregano.
Recipe by Courtney Hill for Milk Street
Accounting for Taste 