Have you ever read a recipe and knew exactly how delicious the dish was going to taste? You know, the kind of recipe you find online after the midnight hour that entices you to get out of bed and make dinner 18 hours early. For me, this was one of those recipes. It met all of my criteria…one pot savory goodness using two of my favorite fresh herbs, rosemary and sage. I almost added fresh thyme, my other favorite, but I didn’t want to send them all head long into a flavor battle. This gravy is so divine, it should be deemed medicinal. While it may not have been kind to my waist line — nothing I love ever is — it did wonders for my taste buds! And, the pork loin was so tender and juicy that cutting it with a fork almost seemed like overkill. I give thanks to Seasons & Suppers for this tasty inspiration that I made my own. The recipe could serve 6 to 8, unless of course, you’re married to Bubba….I hope you try it and I hope you love it!
Ingredients:
For the Marinade:
1/3 cup Bodacious Olive Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
1/3 cup Bodacious Olive Rosemary Olive Oil
2 T fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic smashed.
2 T Beautiful Briny Sea Bird Bath Brining Salt
as much freshly ground pepper you want
Preparing the dish, you need:
Enough flour for dredging, liberally seasoned with fresh ground pepper and granulated garlic mixed together in a shallow dish
1/4 cup Bodacious Olive Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
3 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
2 – 1 lb. unseasoned pork tenderloins (mine came together in a package)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (plus a bit more to deglaze pan)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth or stock
1/2 cup heavy cream (mixed with 2 tsp. cornstarch)
Mix together the marinade ingredients and place meat into a large resealable bag. Pour marinade over the meat and refrigerate a minimum of six hours or overnight. The meat will not degrade in the marinade if you choose to marinate overnight.
Remove loins from the marinade and slice each one into 1/2 to 1 inch thick medallions. Mine were more like an inch in thickness. Lightly dredge the medallions in flour mixture and place on a plate.
Heat 1/4 cup wild mushroom and sage olive oil in a large Dutch oven or extra large fry pan over medium-high heat. Saute the rosemary and sage, stirring, for about one minute. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the pork loin medallions to the pan, carefully placing them on top of the herbs. Depending on the size of your pan, you made need to do this step in two batches. If so, you may want to add more fresh rosemary to the oil prior to the second batch. I’m so glad I did. Saute the pork for about 3 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, then remove it to a plate. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute being careful not to let it get too brown. Add the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook until the smell of the alcohol has disappeared, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock.
Lower the heat under the pan to low-medium heat. Return the pork to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes, flipping the pork and scraping the bottom of the pan after 15 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the cream and allow it to sit at room temperature while your meat is cooking.
When the pork is cooked through (if you want to test with a thermometer, it should be about 150° internal temperature), remove pork to a plate to rest. Over low heat, whisk the heavy cream into the sauce and continue to stir as it thickens. Avoid boiling. The sauce will separate if the cream is allowed to boil. *If your sauce doesn’t thicken up as much as you prefer, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. water and add a bit at a time to your sauce until it thickens to your liking. Taste sauce and add salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Note: If you did not use sodium free chicken stock, take that into consideration before adding additional salt.
At this point, I added my pork medallions back into the gravy along with cooked wide egg noodles. This would also be delcious served with creamy mashed potatoes drizzled with Bodacious white truffle oil!
For a healthy side, try roasting baby carrots drizzled with a tablespoon of olive oil and Cranberry Pear Balsamic at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until tender!