As a recipe developer, I sometimes get overwhelmed with the thought that every recipe must be new and unique and dynamic and multi-layered. I am starting to let go of some of that drive. Because cooking shouldn’t always be a project (though I do love the occasional kitchen project). Sometimes, you just want a really lovely dish to gather round but need a little direction, or a gentle push to get cooking. And I think this fits the bill. I love this simple recipe because it is an easy way to get a really tasty meal on the table with minimum fuss. A perfect weeknight meal. And it is actually elegant enough for company so that’s a bonus.
There is room for scope here too. You can rub some spices onto the pork before cooking if you want or add some fresh chopped herbs to the sauce (tarragon is particularly good). Use grainy mustard instead of plain Dijon, or a combo of both. Substitute white wine for half of the chicken broth if you like. This makes a generous portion of sauce that will serve two pork tenderloins if you are cooking for a bigger crowd. While the pork is roasting, you can put some vegetables on another baking sheet in the oven to serve alongside, like cubed butternut squash or potatoes or Brussel sprouts. Those are all good with the Dijon sauce drizzle as well.
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin
Salt and black pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a medium rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels and put it on the prepared baking tray. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over all sides of the pork. If there is a thin tail end to the pork, tuck it under so the meat cooks evenly. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
- In the last 10 minutes of cooking time for the pork, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned. Add the cream, broth and mustard and bring to a boil (watch carefully and adjust the heat so it doesn’t boil over), then reduce to medium low and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Slice the tenderloin into medallions and serve drizzled with the creamy sauce.
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