Cooking with Love

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Lean pork tenderloin needs a lot of seasonings to taste good. Due to the lack of fat, it is not naturally tasty, tender yes, but not tasty. This recipe always impresses my dinner guests. Let's get started:

Ingredients:

 2 lean Pork Tenderloins

1 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

Feta cheese, crumbled

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Dash of nutmeg

1 - 2 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, packed in or out of oil

1-2 TBS panko crumbs

1/4 tsp dry oregano

2 TBS pignoli nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen twine

1 package of raw bacon (optional)

Directions:

Take the tenderloins and trim off the silver skin. Now, with a very sharp knife, split the tenderloins in half, but not all the way. Flatten out to allow room for filling.

In small skillet, add 1 TBS olive oil with the chopped garlic. Brown only till garlic is soft, add chopped spinach, salt and pepper, and oregano and nutmeg, pignoli nuts and panko crumbs.

Set aside after cooking for a few minutes.

In a bowl, combine some crumbled feta cheese, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, pignoli nuts, cooled spinach mixture. 

With your impeccably clean hands, stuff the two tenderloins as best you can. It's OK if it's a little messy. Salt and pepper the tenderloins. 

IF YOU ARE NOT WRAPPING IN BACON, MARINATE FOR  FEW HOURS:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Some hot pepper flakes

1 tsp sugar

Shake it up really well. Pour over pork logs in a freezer bag. Seal and refrigerate.

At this point if you choose to wrap the tenderloins in strips of bacon, pull the bacon around the pork to cover the two pork logs, individually.

With the kitchen twine, tie each tenderloin so that it stays together.

Place on hot barbecue or in hot oven (400 degrees). Baste the bacon with Maple syrup.

The tenderloins cook quickly. Once the bacon looks crispy, check for doneness.

They should take about 20-25 minutes, depending on the size.

Slice and arrange on platter. If there are any juices, pour over the slices.

Serve cooked apples or sweet potatoes on side.

Buon Appettito!