Pork Tenderloin

I love cooking pork tenderloin. My go-to way to prepare it is to make a rub of minced fresh rosemary, minced garlic, salt & pepper, rub it on the tenderloin, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Brown it on all sides in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on top of the stove, then put in a 425 F. oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until the meat is done. Remove the meat from the pan, and let it rest. Over medium heat on top of the stove, deglaze the pan with either red wine or marsala with a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary. Add a little chicken stock and reduce the mixture by half. Whisk in a tablespoon of butter and season with salt & pepper to taste. Strain sauce through a sieve, if desired. The sauce is not only wonderful over the meat, but is great over mashed potatoes if serving with your meal.

One thing I did do different this time, was to pre-salt the pork tenderloin 1-1/2 days ago, then removed the plastic wrap from the meat, and keeping it refrigerated, let it 'air dry' for several hours before cooking per the advice of Ann of Thibeault's Table. The meat was even more tender and juicier than usual. I will definitely try this technique on other cuts of meat and poultry!

This is another great mid-week meal. You can have a hot meal on the table in 45 minutes from the time you walk in the door after work and have often done that. Today the side consisted solely of a tomato salad made with 2 types of tomatoes, fresh basil, salt & pepper, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Normally I would make some mashed or smashed potatoes and a salad or other green vegetable, like roasted asparagus or broccoli sauteed with garlic and olive oil, drizzled with fresh lemon juice. It's a great meal that tastes like it took a lot longer than it does!