Pork Tenderloins with Coriander & Fennel
Cabbage is delicious, nutritious, cheap, and highly underrated. You can shred it and add some vinegar and mayonnaise for a refreshing coleslaw, or caramelize it in butter for a savory side to a well-cooked roast meat, as I’ve done here. And speaking of well-cooked meat, here’s a small caveat: be careful not to overcook the pork. A dry, overcooked tenderloin is a sad prospect. A juicy tenderloin, cooked to a medium temperature, as instructed in this recipe, is just right.
Ingrediënten
- Serves 6 to 8
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small head green cabbage
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
Instructies
- In a small pan on low heat, lightly toast the fennel and coriander, tossing constantly, until they take on some color and become fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Crush the toasted spices and the peppercorns using a mortar and pestle, then spread them on a cutting board.
- If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, crush them by pressing down and forward firmly with the bottom of a pot.
- Rub the tenderloins with olive oil, then roll them in the spices to coat on all sides.
- Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in your refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or better yet, overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Remove the tenderloins from your refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before roasting.
- Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and slice it in half.
- Leaving the core intact, slice each half lengthwise into 1-inch-wide planks.
- Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof pan on medium heat.
- Sprinkle the tenderloins with a couple generous pinches of salt.
- Sear, turning until they’ve browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
- Transfer to your oven and roast until the pork is cooked to medium (about 145°F), 9 to 11 minutes.
- Set aside on a plate, covered with aluminum foil, to rest for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium pan on medium heat.
- Once melted, turn the heat to low and add the cabbage in one layer.
- Add the thyme, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
- Cover and let the cabbage caramelize without nudging until the pieces are soft and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
- Carefully flip the cabbage onto a serving plate to expose the browned side.
- To serve, cut the pork horizontally into ¾-inch-wide slices and arrange next to the cabbage, pouring any juices that have pooled over the top.
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