Sam's Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Marsala Mushroom Risotto Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 1 Whole Pork Tenderloin (about 2-2 ½ lbs) 

• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

• 1 Cup Arborio or Carnaroli Rice

• 1 Cup Dry White Wine (Avni Chardonnay works great!)

• 4 Cups Chicken Stock

• 1 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine

• 10 ounces of Baby Portabella, Shitake, or Crimini Mushrooms brushed, Stemmed and Sliced

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• 1 ½  Teaspoons Fresh Thyme, Finely Chopped

• 1 Tablespoon Chives, Finely Chopped

• 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped

• 1 Shallot, Finely Chopped

• 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

• 2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt

• 1 ½ Teaspoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper

• 5 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter, Diced Into Cubes

• Additional Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375℉

2. Mix the white wine and chicken stock in a medium sauce pan and warm over medium heat to a slight simmer.

3. Remove the silver skin from the pork tenderloin and pat it dry with a paper towel. Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl and use it to coat the tork tenderloin as evenly as possible on all sides.

4. For the risotto: put the olive oil in a large sauce pan and turn the burner to medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft and translucent. Do not let the edges burn or turn brown.  Add the rice to the pan and mix with the shallot and oil to coat. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes stirring gently but constantly to avoid burning until the rice starts to produce a slightly nutty aroma.  Add enough of the warm chicken stock and wine mixture to just cover the rice and stir to mix.  Set the heat level to medium low and let the rice simmer.

5. Check the rice every 5 minutes or so by running a spatula through the center of the pan.  When the rice divides and doesn't immediately fill the space made by the spatula, add another dose of the stock mixture to just cover the rice and give it a few stirs to incorporate.  Repeat this step until the stock is used up and the rice is tender.

6. For the pan roasted pork: While the rice is cooking, put 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a cast iron skillet or heavy steel sauté pan and set the burner to high.  When it the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add the pork tenderloin to the pan — it may smoke a bit so make sure your vent hood is running.  Let the meat sear for 2-3 minutes, until it releases from the pan without tearing its surface, and rotate a quarter turn.  Repeat this two more times to brown the meat on all four sides.  When you turn the meat the third time (on the fourth side) carefully put a probe thermometer through the end of the tenderloin as level as you can to the middle of the meat and put the pan in the oven to roast.  Remove the tenderloin from the oven when the thermometer reads 145℉  and cover lightly with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes to let the meat rest.

7. For the Marsala mushrooms: while the meat is roasting in the oven, combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high until the butter is melted and foamy.  Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to brown and shrink slightly.  Turn the heat down to medium and add 1 teaspoon of chives, thyme and garlic along with the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet and stir to combine with the mushrooms.  Continue to stir the mushrooms every few minutes. When the mushrooms are uniformly brown and most of the oil has been soaked up, remove from the heat and add the Marsala wine.  Stir to deglaze the pan and coat the mushrooms.  Return to medium-low heat and stir gently until the marsala is mostly absorbed into the mushrooms.

8. If the last dose of broth has been incorporated into the risotto, add the mushroom mixture directly to the risotto and stir to combine.  If not, move the mushroom mixture to a bowl and cover to hold temporarily and then add it to the risotto when the last dose of stock has been absorbed.

9. Remove the risotto from the heat and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the risotto and stir to incorporate.  Then add the cold butter, one cube at a time and stir it into the risotto until it is melted and mixed in.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

10. Slice the tenderloin into 1 1/2 to 2 inch portions.  Put a large serving spoon or two full of risotto onto a plate and place a portion (or two) of tenderloin on top.  Turn a few grinds of black pepper over each serving and garnish with the remaining chives.

Photo Credit: Simply Delicious