So as you know, I don’t get to eat meat as often as the regular American due to this fancy fun recession we currently live in but alas I like to think of 3 weeks eating only various types of beans and rice as a challenge! Can you handle the fiber!!! Okay that’s enough of that. So I was feeling fancy and decided to make this amazing yuminess that I’d learned about while assisting cooking classes. One was a stuffed Pork Tenderloin, the other was this amazing herbed veggie pilaf. I have to admit that when I first heard there’d be prunes involved my thoughts turned skeptic but let me convince you other wise, it is a great combination of salty, creamy, and sweet and it’s worth trying if you enjoy pork as much as I do. What makes this meal even better is that both parts are actually super easy to throw together so if you prepare you could easily have this done in a pinch!
Another thing I’d like to give an honorable mention to is the meat. I know I’ve written about this before but please notice that your local farmer’s market is the best place to get your best quality meat; preferably a farmer’s market that prides itself on proper animal diet, treatment, and lack of hormones. I choose not to shop at places like “Whole F-Paycheck” because they are still a chain and DREADFULLY EXPENSIVE, so I’m left with my awesome farmer’s markets. Still, this can sometimes be pricey. I know that in a regular aka gross grocery store you should be paying about $2.50 to $3 a pound for tenderloins in the pack so if you can find them for around $5 a lb at a “better practices” place that’s pretty dang cheap. The Farmer’s Market in Decatur is going to run you about $9 per lb for tenderloin (that’s one tenderloin)… so there’s some good perspective for you. And I say all this because one place I just happened to look wanted, I KID YOU NOT, $17 for 1 tenderloin and they were seriously TRIPPIN!
Here’s what you’ll need:
(Rice and Veggie Pilaf)
Oven proof dish (Dutch Oven works well)
1 cup Rice
1 medium Onion
1 ¾ cup liquid (any combination of Chicken broth, White wine, and/ or Water- I tried half Chx stock and half White Wine)
1 cup diced Frozen Veggies (variety is always good)
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Bay Leaf
½ Cinnamon Stick
1 Lemon Slice (seeds removed)
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
Optional:
1 sprig fresh Parsley
1 sprig fresh Rosemary
1 tsp Salt
black Pepper to taste
(Pork Tenderloin)
Meat Mallet
Kitchen Twine
Oven proof pan or dish
Skillet (for searing)
1 tbsp each Butter and Olive Oil
2 (1lb) Pork Tenderloins
½ cup (4 oz) Cognac (can get a “single” for like $5 at a liquor store if need be)
¾ cup pitted Prunes, chopped (and soaked in cognac at least 1 hour)
½ cup chopped toasted Pistachio (setting aside 2 tbsp)
1 large Shallot, minced
1-2 large clove Garlic, crushed
1 cup Beef Stock
1 pinch of dried Marjoram
1 pinch of dried Thyme
½ cup heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste (please note that the more store bought stock you use the saltier it will be before salting)
First thing’s First! Put your Prunes in the Cognac to soak for about an hour! Set aside.
Getting Started with the Pilaf
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put your fire on medium and pour in a little vegetable oil to coat the bottom of your OVEN PROOF POT (ie dutch oven). When it’s warmed up toss in your diced onion along with the cup of rice and stir around to coat and blend. You want to do this for 3 to 5 minutes and try not to let the mixture stick to the bottom to prevent burning, you may need to add a little oil. After this is done you’re ready to add ALL of the rest of your ingredients.
Note: I’ve made this twice already- the first time I followed the recipe completely and realized that I didn’t need all the extra rosemary as my “herbs de provence” actually had some in it, plus I didn’t have fresh parsley so I used some dried… Also I used some left over beef stock the second time around and instead of using mostly stock with a splash of wine I did half wine and half stock and liked it better! Really I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference between using chicken vs beef stock. It’s what I had, so I used it! Of course, any time you have homemade stock and fresh herbs its going to be amazing but don’t fret if you don’t have it on hand. You will have a little more control over what goes into your food as far as the homemade stock goes, and if using fresh herbs you will want to make sure that you don’t over do it.
Turn the heat up to High to get it all to come to a boil. Once it does, let it boil for about a minute before shutting off the fire and putting your pot into the oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Make sure you have a tightly fitting lid, or if not, you can use a large piece of foil to fully cover over the top. Now would be a great time to make sure your “mis en place” (prep work) is done for the pork recipe’s ingredients. This includes cutting off any fat or “silverskin”, splitting each tenderloin open like a book- careful to not cut through to the other side, and pounding each with your mallet until slightly flattened (tenderizing!).
When time is up take it out of the oven and keep it covered (stove and stove top off!) for at least another 20 mins.
While you’re letting your rice sit you can start on your pork!
Turn your oven up to 425 degrees. Drain your prunes from their cognac bath, reserving the liquid for later. Take your tenderloins and salt and pepper one side, laying them side by side. Now take the drained prune pieces and spread about ¼ cup over the center of each, reserving the rest for later (1/4 left). Between the two pieces, spread all but 2 tbsp of your chopped pistachios. Carefully roll the meat making sure not to lose any of the good stuff and secure each with pieces of kitchen twine.
Crank the fire up in that skillet and put in your butter and olive oil. Let it heat until almost smoking (but not burnt!) because we are trying to put a crust on each side of both! Using tongs or carefully with your hand place your pork into your skillet and sear; remember when its ready it will un-stick itself but be sure to watch so that you don’t burn your meat… or your house down (I consider both to be BAD). When one side is done rotate each time so that you get a good sear all the way around each wrapped tenderloin—this shouldn’t take too long. When they are done put them in your oven proof dish uncovered and then into the oven for about 20 minutes or when your meat thermometer reaches 145 -150 degrees when stuck in the middle-most part of each tenderloin. Remember meat continues to cook after it comes off the fire or out of the oven so you want to make sure that you don’t over do it. It also needs time to rest so that you don’t lose any of the awesome juices when you start slicing it up…. That, my friend, is always a PITY!; so be sure to check it the temperature when time is almost up.
In the meantime, you need to make your deeeelicious pan sauce. So hopefully by now you kitchen friendly folks know better than to clean off all the good brown bits of heaven from out of the bottom of your pan right? After you’ve seared your tenderloins you will have all kinds of goodness in the bottom of that pan and that will be going right into Sauceville so protect it with your lives if some random dish washing maniac suddenly bursts into your kitchen! Take that crusty skillet on a Medium fire and sauté your chopped shallot until they are soft (a couple mins). Now add your garlic and take that reserved pruney cognac and deglaze your pan with it. YES, proof that there IS A GOD. Cook this until the liquid is almost gone while you scrape up all the good bits that were once stuck on the bottom until it’s all floating around happily in the pan and add in your beef stock and herbs. Let this come to a boil until it’s reduced by half (you may need to turn the fire up a little). Add your remaining prune pieces, check for salt and pepper, and then add the cream to simmer until it’s thickened up a bit. Check again to make sure it’s delicious and that you’re not in need of more salt and pepper.
When the meat is done… because we didn’t make the mistake of over cooking it, and we let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes right? Remove the twine and slice carefully so that you don’t make a mess. You should have some beautiful tender pink next to those warm toasty prunes in the middle- don’t worry it’s not raw, and now all you have to do is plate it with your pilaf that’s been waiting so patiently (remember to remove the lemon slice, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and in my case as seen above; the cheesecloth herb pack before serving). Garnish your meat with a little of the cream sauce and some extra pistachios bits. Hey if you have some field greens and a glass of wine to add go for it, make it a date if you have to. Whatever it takes to get you to try this. It’s better than that horrible cup of noodles you choked down yesterday I can tell you that; shame on you!
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