Tenderloin with fennel, crispy salty pancetta and mushroomy marsala is a match made in heaven.
Tenderloin with fennel, crispy salty pancetta and mushroomy marsala is a match made in heaven.
Pork is often treated as the poor relative of the beef and lamb. Not with this dish. Nail the pork and this is a real winner.
We are deep into summer so we have gone for a lighter chicken stock, but feel free to beef in up in the cooler months.
As usual play around a little, particularly the sauce.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Tenderloin
- 400g Pork Tenderloin
- 1x pack of thinly sliced pancetta
- 2x garlic cloves, chopped
- 1x tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
- 1x tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
- Salt & pepper
- Glug of olive oil
Masala Sauce
- Dash of olive oil
- 50g of butter
- 25g flour
- Salt & pepper
- 1x shallot or onion, finely chopped
- 2x garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 150g chestnut or button mushrooms, sliced
- 150ml dry marsala wine
- 300ml chicken stock
Method
- For the tenderloin blitz the garlic, rosemary, fennel and olive oil into a paste, season.
- Lay a layer of cling film on the work surface, lay the pancetta strips down, over lapping slightly, the same width as the tenderloin.
- Cover the pancetta with the paste and then lay the tenderloin horizontally across the pancetta.
- Roll up to make a tight sausage, twist the ends and pop in the fridge. You can do this well ahead of the cooking time.
- Add a dash of olive oil and butter to a pan, cook off the shallot for a few minutes and then add the garlic for a further few minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, then add the flour and cook off for a few minutes.
- Pour in the marsala and reduced by about half and add the chicken stock. Allow to simmer until reduced to enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thick loosen with some more stock and/or butter.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sear the wrapped tenderloin until browned all over. Transfer to the oven at 180°C, aim for a rest internal temperature of 74°C (about 20mins +rest).
- Slice into 30-40cm medallions and serve with the marsala sauce on the side, buttery mash and a selection of summer vegetables.