Pork Tenderloin Filets with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Of course, this is The Other White Meat. And if not overcooked (no more than medium), it is as tender as Beef Filet Mignon!

Typically, I cook my Pork Tenderloin Filets with mushrooms sautéed with some garlic and shallots. This time, I kept everything pretty minimalistic. The mushrooms are simply browned in olive oil with a little salt and pepper. The cream sauce comes from deglazing the pan we seared the filets in with white wine and stock and cream. The filets were seasoned with Kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh minced rosemary…pan seared…then finished in the oven (as they are cut about 2 inches thick). Served with a basic Rice Pilaf, it turned out just right.

Chef’s note: I can’t stress enough the need to NOT overcook these filets. I cooked them to about 140 degrees. After sitting for a few minutes, they were probably 145…a nice medium…a hint of pink. That being said…they were tender as a beef filet mignon.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 medium white mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick

• Olive oil

• 1 (1 1/4 pound) pork tenderloin, excess fat and silver skin removed.

• Kosher salt

• Coarse black pepper

• 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

• 1/4 cup cream

• Chopped parsley

Directions:

1 – Heat a medium stainless steel skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced mushrooms, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, until they give up their liquid and start to brown, about 6-7 minutes.Do not let them burn. Remove them from the skillet to a small ball and set aside.

2 – Slice the pork tenderloin into about 2 inch size pieces. Turn them on end so the grain run vertically (just like a filet mignon). Combine on a plate, 1 1/2 tbsp of Kosher salt, about 1 tsp of coarse ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp fresh minced rosemary leaves. Roll the filets in this mixture to coat all sides. Place the flour on another plate and lightly coat the filets in the flour.

3 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the same skillet as the mushrooms over medium heat and add a little more olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the filets and brown on the first side for about 2 minutes. Turn and repeat on the other side for 1 1/2 minutes. Brown the edges for about 1 minute per edge. Place the browned filets in a medium baking dish in the oven and cook until the internal temperature is 135-140, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.

4 – While the filets are in the oven, deglaze the skillet with the white wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release the brown bits.Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cream. Allow to simmer for about 5-6 minutes to it will thicken. Add the browned mushrooms to the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5 – Place 2 filets on a serving plate and top with the mushroom sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with Rice Pilaf.