Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Beets

I discovered this divine, rustic, hearty meal in Scotland, but I couldn’t find any recipes online that do it justice, so I’m going to Frankenstein’s monster one together for us.

Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin:

  • Pork Tenderloin, about 1 pound, trimmed of excess fat

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper Beets:

  • 12 beets

  • 3 tablespoons good olive oil

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

  • Juice of 1 large orange

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 shallot, minced

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1/3 cup beef stock

  • 1/3 cup red wine

  • Roasted beets

Directions

For the tenderloin:

  1. Season pork generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork on all sides until golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until pork registers 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

  2. Or, the even easier route – place on a grill on medium heat, 30 minutes per side.

For the beets:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and large beets cut in eighths.)

  3. Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar and orange juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

For the sauce:

  1. In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallots, then cornstarch, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

  2. Add stock and wine, stirring until thickened. Add beets.

  3. Cook until warm. Remove all but about what four beets would be prior to chopping, then move the remainder into a Cuisinart and puree to make a thick sauce.

  4. Serve the beets next to the pork, and ladle on the wine sauce.

Pork, EntreesJ.T. EllisonComment