Pork Tenderloin, Red Cabbage & Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients
Pork
2 pork tenderloins
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt freshly ground black pepper to season
1 heaped tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Braised Red Cabbage
1/4-1/2 red cabbage (depending on the size) finely sliced
1 medium sized leek, finely sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, bruised with a mortar and pestle
3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
Cauliflower Mash
1 medium sized head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 generous tablespoons of blue butter or plain butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
Pork
Take your pork tenderloins out of the fridge so they come to to room temperature before cooking
Preheat the oven to 200C
Trim away any remnants of tough fascia on the tenderloin with a sharp knife.
Pat the tenderloin dry with some paper towel
Rub tenderloins all over with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Sear tenderloins until they are evenly browned all over. This should take around 12 minutes. transfer the pork to a platter and set aside. Reserve the pan juices as you will be using the same pan to cook the braised cabbage
In a small bowl combine Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fresh thyme
With a pastry brush generously brush mustard mixture all over tenderloins
Place tenderloins in a roasting dish and roast for a further 15 minutes
To check that they are cooked, insert a knife into the thickest part of the tenderloin, juices should run clear
Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil, allow to rest for around 10 minutes
After resting slice diagonally and serve with braised red cabbage and leek
Braised Red Cabbage & Leeks
Finely slice red cabbage and leek
Heat a little olive oil in same fry pan you used to sear the pork, add garlic and fennel seeds and heat until garlic is translucent
Add red cabbage and leek, stir through so it becomes coated in the oil, fennel and garlic
Add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock, cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, checking and stirring every so often. Add more stock if needed
After 20 minutes remove the lid and allow the liquid to evaporate
Cauliflower
Cut your cauliflower up into florets
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add cauliflower, simmer until cauliflower is tender
Drain the cauliflower fully, the less moisture left in the cauliflower the better
Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and process on high until finely mashed and creamy
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté garlic until the aroma is released
Heat cauliflower in the saucepan, stir through the oil and garlic
Add in blue cheese butter and stir through thoroughly as it melts
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bon Appetite!