I started yesterday by marinating my pork tenderloins. You could do it a few hours ahead of time, but I find I do better leaving something overnight so I can cook as soon as I get home because I always get home and am starving!
The marinade is simple. In a gallon sized ziplock put:
1-2 pork tenderloins (about 1-1.5lbs)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
zest and juice from 2 lemons
about 2-3 Tbsp. each chopped rosemary and thyme
1-2 minced garlic cloves (I leave this out cause I've developed an allergy to garlic-so sad!)
Leave it over-night or for a few hours in the fridge. When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While it's heating up prep your veggies. I made oven roasted potatoes and carrots, and blanched and quick-sautéd some asparagus. Everything just got salt and pepper, and the potatoes got full sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top of them in the oven.
The pork needs to be seared on all sides and I attempted to do that in my Le Crueset dish, but it wasn't a hard sear, so I threw it on my griddle and used that instead. I should have done it for longer because I didn't get as much color on it as I would have liked, but I was impatient. So anyway, sear the pork on all sides and then either transfer it to an oven-safe pan, or use one to start. I also added my potatoes and carrots to the same dish and threw it all in the oven for 15 minutes.
While that's cooking, bring a little water to a boil, salt the water and add the asparagus, cooking it for just a few minutes. Then take it out and shock it in cold water to preserve the bright green color. I then dumped the water, heated a little butter in the same pan, and tossed the asparagus back in with salt and pepper for just a few minutes. This can sit to the side and wait with a lid on for everything else to finish.
After 15 minutes, take the pork out and rest it for 10 minutes wrapped tightly in foil. I then tossed the potatoes and carrots, and cooked them for another 10 minutes at 450 degrees.
To finish it all up, once the potatoes and carrots are finished, cut the pork thickly on the diagonal and then make a quick pan sauce. Heat your pan over medium heat and add a good splash or two of chicken stock, a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of flour and whisk until it thickens up. Spoon it over the pork when you plate it up.
