This recipe is adapted from one provided by DeLoach Vineyards, one of my favorite producers of Pinot Noirs from Russian River Valley. While I've long considered using one of their smaller, vineyard-designated Pinots in my wine club, they are simply too large a producer to be one of the "Boutique" wineries that defines our niche. But I still encourage you to try these wines - old world style meets new world fruit. This recipe is ideally suited to Pinot, but would work well with other light or medium-bodied red wines with good acidity - Barbera or Sangiovese come to mind, perhaps even a cool-climate Syrah.
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Pork Tenderloin
- 2 T Lemon Zest
- 4 Garlic cloves, minced
- 6 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, stemmed and minced
- 2 Tbsp Rosemary, stemmed and minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
- 4 tsp panko bread crumbs
- 2+ Tbsp Olive oil
Procedure
Pre-heat oven to 350 and remove tenderloin from refrigerator. Meanwhile, combine in the bowl of a food processor all remaining ingredients up to the Panko bread crumbs. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the contents combine into a thin paste. Massage the paste into the room-temperature loin.
Heat an iron skillet over medium-high heat for three to four minutes, remove from heat and coat with thin layer of olive oil, then add the tenderloin. Return to heat and sear on each three sides until golden - 1-2 minutes per side. Turn the tenderloin to the fourth side and place the skillet into the oven for about ten minutes or until the interior reaches 138 degrees. Remove from oven, coat with foil or up-turned pan, and let rest for ten minutes before slicing into medallions.
Apple Confit Ingredients
- 6 Tart green apples, such as Granny Smith
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup cognac or brandy
Procedure
Peel and core apples and slice into eighths and sprinkle with sugar. Heat a skillet over medium heat, when warm melt the butter and sauté the apples until brown and caramelized. Add the cognac and cook until tender (CAUTION - before adding the cognac, remove the skillet from the heat, as the cognac may flame up. If it does, simply let it burn off).