Roasted Cranberry Spiced Pork Tenderloin

SarasotaCook's Note:

Spicy, savory, and easy. Just pan seared and finished in the oven. Garnish this with walnuts, a creamy gorgonzla dip and you have an amazing easy main course. Add some savory scalloped potatoes and roasted green beans for a great dinner. And a salad and some fresh bread for a great dinner party. TIP: Make both the blue cheese dip and the cranberry sauce ahead of time. That way, all you have is to cook the pork. Just a little planning makes for an easy dinner.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0

Gorgonzola Dip

• ¾ cup gorgonzola
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
• salt
• pepper

Pork

• 1 ½ lbs boneless pork loin (You could use 2 pork tenderloins instead)
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vegetable to rub on the pork
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to saute the pork
• 1 tablespoon butter to saute the pork

Sauce

• 2⁄3; cup cranberry juice (I just used Ocean Spray)
• 1⁄3; cup honey
• 1⁄3; cup sherry wine
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons grated shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (1 tablespoon fresh if you have it is preferred)
• ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (you can substitute ground cloves, but it isn't quite the same, but close)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (GARNISH)

Directions:

1. Garnish -- I just bought a small pack of pre-chopped walnuts - already done.
2. Gorgonzola Dip -- Just mix the cheese, cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt, the cheese is already salty. Make ahead and refrigerate.
3. Pork -- Set the loin out on the counter so it can come to room temp or at least take off the chill. Once the pork starts to warm up a bit, rub or brush the vegetable oil (1 teaspoon) on and season well with salt and pepper and just let it rest while you start the sauce.
4. Sauce -- Add the cranberry juice, honey, sherry, soy, red wine, shallot, garlic, ginger, Chinese Five Spice and corn starch and bring to a slow boil to let the sauce thicken. Should take 4-5 minutes. Once the sauce thickens, remove and set to the side. Make this ahead too. That way, you just have to reheat it on the stove.
5. Saute -- In a oven proof heavy saute pan (I prefer cast iron, but NO non stick for this), heat to medium high to high heat and add the butter and vegetable oil. Sear the seasoned pork loin on all sides until golden brown.
6. Bake -- Remove from the heat and glaze well with the cranberry sauce. Transfer to a 400 degree oven and cook an additional 15 minutes uncovered until it reaches 155-160 degrees. Make sure to baste a couple of times with the sauce as it bakes - use all the sauce. Once the internal temperature reaches the 155-160 mark (which is medium), remove from the pan and transfer to your serving platter and cover with foil to let it rest. The white wine will be added to the pan drippings.
7. Sauce -- Return the pan to the stove on medium heat and add the white wine to the cranberry sauce along with the walnuts and heat up.
8. Serve -- Serve the extra sauce on the side or you can drizzle a little over the slices which is the way I like to serve it. Don't forget the Blue Cheese Dip on the side.
9. This is a very elegant dish but so worth just a little effort. but easy dish.