Triptych of Tenderloin Part I

This was posted by guest contributor Pete, a home cook. And no, there is no Part II. This was his only post.

For many years I've blindly bought pork tenderloins. Why? Because they are:

• cheap
• require no prep
• cook in matter of minutes when thrown into a pan.

The downside to this ease, which somehow feels better than shoving a frozen pizza in the oven but requires about the same amount of thought, has always been the forlorn looks and "is there a sauce" comments that accompany the now cooked tube of pork's appearance at the dinner table.

As a result I've recently undertaken a massive review of pork tenderloin recipes - well actually I looked at one cookbook but its a start. The book, "La Cocina De Mama" by Penelope Casas yielded not one but three easy recipes which turned my mundane pork slug into something approaching real food. The one below is the quickest of the three and really easy - although it doesn't win points for shortest title. Hopefully the other two will follow soon.

Lomo en Dulce De La Madre de Pilar (Pork Tenderloin in Sweet Sherry Sauce from Pilar's Mother)

• 1 1/2 lb Pork Tenderloin (make sure its not "enhanced" with salt water)
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Pepper
• Flour for dusting
• 2 Tlb Olive Oil
• 1/2 medium onion, slivered
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tlb minced fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 sweet (cream) sherry
• 1/4 Tsp Cumin ground

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Sprinkle pork with salt & pepper. Dust with flour
3. Heat oil in ovenproof casserole (which has a lid) and brown meat all over.
4. Remove meat to rest.
5. Add onions to casserole and soften.
6. Add parsley and bay leaves and cook for one minute.
7. Stir in Broth / Sherry / Cumin - being careful not to set yourself on fire. Bring to a boil.
8. Return pork to casserole. Cover and bake in oven for 30-35 mins. Check to make sure all the liquid doesn't evaporate - add more stock if needed.
9. To serve cut meat on the angle in 1/2" slices. Spoon sauce over.

Works really well with:

"Arroz al horno" (baked rice)

• 2 Tlb Olive Oil
• 2 Tlb minced onion
• 1 Cup Valencian short-grain rice or Arborio (i used Jasmine rice with no issue)
• 1 Cup chicken broth
• 1 Cup water
• 2 Tlb fresh minced Parsley
• 1 1/2 Tsp fresh thyme or 1/4 Tsp dried
• Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400F (note simplicity of same temperature as the pork)
2. Heat oil in deep casserole (oven-proof with lid)
3. Soften onion.
4. Stir in rice to coat with oil.
5. Add broth and water. Stir in remaining ingredients.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Cover and bake in oven for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let sit covered 5-10 minutes.