Like its cousin beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin is a boneless, low-fat, high protein cut of meat. Unlike its cousin, however, pork tenderloin is relatively inexpensive and doesn’t come with a “beefy” price tag. Because of its relatively small size and mild flavor, a pork tenderloin cooks quickly and benefits from flavorful spice rubs or fruity sauces. This recipe calls for some of my favorite herbs and thinly sliced prosciutto to flavor the pork. Tying the mini-roasts with butchers twine secures the prosciutto and sage on the roasts and ensures that they cook evenly. You can do a quick sear on a cast iron skillet and then pop the roasts into a hot oven for a few minutes, or skip the sear and go directly to the oven for about 20 minutes. Pork tenderloin cooks quickly so don’t dry it out by over-cooking it. Flavorful, quick, and easy to prepare, combined with veggies of your choice, or a green salad, this simple recipe makes a delicious weeknight dinner for the family, or it can be served as the elegant main course of a more elaborate meal for guests. I hope you like it.

Roast Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium pork tenderloin about 1 pound

• 2 thin slices of prosciutto

• 4 large fresh sage leaves

• 2 cloves of garlic minced or grated to paste with a microplane

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground dried rosemary and ground fennel seed

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 425 F.

1. Rinse the tenderloin and pat it dry with a paper towel. Fold the tapered end of the tenderloin back on itself so you have a more or less uniform thickness of meat about 10 inches long. Cut the tenderloin in half so you have two small roasts approximately the same length and thickness.

2. Rub the mini-roasts with olive oil and garlic paste. Sprinkle lightly with the rosemary/fennel seed spice mixture and a generous amount of salt and pepper.

3. Lay a slice of prosciutto and two sage leaves on each roast. Tie each roast at 1 ½ inch intervals to secure the prosciutto and sage and maintain the form of each roast.

4. Coat the cooking surface of a cast-iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the skillet with the roasts in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the roasts reaches 145 F. (Note: if you choose to sear the roasts before placing them in the oven, reduce the roasting time by about 5 minutes.)

5. Remove from the oven and tent for 5 minutes before removing the twine and slicing the meat.

Wine pairing: a medium-bodied red wine, or a fruity white wine with body that will stand up to the richness of the dish.