STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN (With a Lovely Wine-Mustard Sauce)

DOES “CRUELTY-FREE” MEAN “GUILT-FREE” ME?

 How pleasant! I can now find cruelty-free, hormone-free and antibiotic-free pork products in my very own small-town, Alberta grocery store. Ergo, guilt-free meat eating! Well, maybe guilt-reduced would be more accurate.  But it does give me the opportunity to combine: love of animals, love of cooking, love for crazy, carnivorous family. Triple-free.

(Butterflying pork tenderloin is surprisingly easy and quick to do. If you feel unsure, most butchers would be happy to do it for you.)                                               

STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN

(With a lovely wine-mustard sauce)

1 pork tenderloin, butterflied and pounded to ½ inch thickness

4 slices bacon, diced

6 large cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup brandy (I used cherry brandy, but use your favourite if you don’t have it on hand)

10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

6 slices heavy grainy bread, cubed

1 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano

Couple sprigs fresh thyme

Couple sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

For the Sauce:

A couple knobs of butter

A couple cloves of garlic

1 cup of white wine

¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons grainy mustard

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Once the pork tenderloin is butterflied, lay it on some plastic wrap and pound the poor thing to one-half inch thickness. Sprinkle each side liberally with salt and pepper. Lay flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set aside.

Over medium heat sauté bacon until brown. Add garlic for about a minute. Add brandy and reduce to about half. Add the spinach and sauté with a bit of salt and pepper until soft. Remove from heat and add bread and herbs. Toss to combine.

(Save pan for making sauce)

Spread the bread mixture evenly over the pork tenderloin. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over bread mixture.

Now firmly roll the pork around the stuffing, ending with the seam side down. Brush olive oil over the tenderloin.

Place pork tenderloin in the oven. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to 400 degrees. Roast for approximately another 20-25 minutes. Could be more! Important to use your meat thermometer here. You want the pork to be 160 degrees.

Let rest for 10 minutes.

While the pork is resting, throw together a quick sauce in the reserved pan. Melt butter over medium heat. Add the garlic until it sizzles. Then add the wine, increase heat until the wine is reduced to about ½ cup.  Add cream, bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Then slice arrange artfully on a nice platter. Serve with sauce on the side.