Roast Pork Tenderloin

I mentioned in a recent post that I missed cooking while I’d been traveling lately.  The upside, of that time out of the kitchen, was the chance to do some reading.  In addition to reading Julia Child’s book about her life in France, I found a bunch of “recipes for one” by Julia’s editor, Judith Jones.  This is the only one I’ve made so far, but it was SO tasty, that I will definitely give some of the others a try.

Source: Judith Jones, O Magazine, October 2009

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 pork tenderloin, about 3/4 lb.
black pepper
3/4 lb. vegetables such as winter squash or root vegetables
1 t. olive oil

Directions

Finely chop the garlic, then add 1 t. salt and mash together.  Smear mustard, mashed garlic, and ginger all over pork, and pepper generously.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 8, until ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 375, and place tenderloin in the middle of a baking dish.  Rub vegetables with olive oil and season with 1/8 t. salt.  Scatter the veggies around the pork in baking dish.  Roast 30-45 minutes (or until thermometer inserted in pork reads 155).  Remove meat and let it rest 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.  If the vegetables aren’t quite done, let them continue to bake while the pork is resting.

Yields 2 – 3 servings.  Since these are recipes for one, Judith suggests that leftover pork be used to make a red flannel hash.

(I may try mixing all of the ingredients that go on the pork together next time.  I found it difficult to smear the ginger on its own.  I think watching the temp and not over cooking was key to the success of the recipe.  The meat was so tender and moist, and it picked up wonderful, subtle flavors from the mustard, garlic, and ginger.)