Stuffed Pork Tenderloin in Mustard Sauce

Keeping with our light dinners this week we started with one of my favorite cuts of pork, a boneless pork tenderloin.  This cut of meat can be simply dressed with salt and pepper and roasted to create a delicious meal.  But tonight we decided to get a little fancy.  Using a rustic combination of sauteed fresh spinach, mushrooms and garlic as a filling, and the final touch was a mustard and white wine sauce.

This recipe does call for a little fancy knife work, but don't worry, once you get the hang of it, it's very simple.  For this dish we used a 1-1/2 pound tenderloin, and trimmed off any excess fat, then butterflied the tenderloin by making a horizontal slice lengthwise into the tenderloin, about 1 inch into the meat, but not all of the way through.  Unfold the meat to the right, then cut another lengthwise slice, and unfold again.  Repeat these steps until the tenderloin is opened out like a book and is about a 1/2-inch thick.

After that, all you have to do is apply a few layers of ingredients to create the filling and you're ready to cook. Serve with a small scoop of mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and dinner is complete. Enjoy!!

1-1/2 lb  Pork Tenderloin, butterflied
2 TB  Olive Oil
1 TB  Minced Garlic
6 large  Mushrooms, button or portobello work fine
3 cups  Fresh Spinach
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Olive Oil
2 - 3 TB  Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 - 3 TB  Italian Style Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup  College Inn White Wine Chicken Broth (or use plain chicken broth)
1 TB  Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
3 TB  White Wine
3 TB  Half and Half
1 tsp  Cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  When the olive oil is shimmering, add the garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add the mushrooms to the skillet, stir and saute for 3 minutes until tender, then add the spinach to the skillet.  Saute the spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of ground black pepper.

Spoon the spinach and mushroom mixture into a bowl to cool and set aside.  Reserve skillet.

Unfold the pork tenderloin on a cutting board and drizzle with olive oil.  Next, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pork, followed by a layer of breadcrumbs.  Spread the spinach and mushroom mixture over the pork, staying 1-inch away from the edges. (This will keep the filling from leaking out.)

Now it's time to roll the tenderloin back together.  Start with the original interior of the loin, and carefully roll the pork back into a roast shape, pressing slightly to compact the filling.  Once rolled, you can use cooking string to secure the roast or just use a few metal skewers or toothpicks to secure the seam.

Using the same skillet as before, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil shimmers, place the pork in the skillet and sear the meat on all sides, about 8 minutes total, being careful not to loosen the seam.

Place the skillet into the oven and cook for about 25 minutes or until the interior temperature reaches 140 degrees.  Remove the roast from the oven, and cover with foil for 10 minutes to rest.

In a small skillet, combine chicken broth, Dijon mustard, pepper, and white wine and stir until simmering.  In a small cup, combine the half and half and cornstarch, then add the mixture to the mustard sauce, stirring until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Slice the pork into 3/4-inch slices, spoon the sauce over the pork and serve.