Pork Tenderloin Roasted In Rosemary Salt With Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 4
As the snow melts away in my neighborhood I’ve turned my salt use to roasting pork. This is a style of cooking that uses the salt as insulation around the meat keeping in moisture but not adding any overt saltiness to the roast.
Pork tenderloin roasted in rosemary salt with fingerling potatoes
You’ll Need:
2 Tbls. snipped rosemary leaves
6 cups Kosher salt
3 Tbls. vegetable oil
1 (1 1/4 -pound) pork tenderloin
1 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
1 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. minced shallots
Here’s What To Do:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the rosemary and the salt in a large mixing bowl and stir in 1 cup of water until the texture is that of gritty snow just can’t give up winter).
In a large skillet, heat the oil until the surface ripples. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels and sear it in the hot oil until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
While the pork is browning, spoon a layer of salt about one-fourth-inch thick in the bottom of a gratin or baking dish just big enough to hold the pork and the potatoes in a single layer. When the pork is browned, pat it dry with a paper towel to remove any excess oil and place it in the gratin dish, laying it down the center. Arrange the potatoes around the outside and cover everything with the remaining salt.
Roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 20 to 25 minutes for medium rare or five minutes more to 150 for medium if you must. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside 5 minutes to finish cooking.
With a sturdy metal spoon or chef’s knife, chip a crack around the base of the salt crust and carefully lift off the top you may want some gloves for this. Use a dry pastry brush to brush away any salt on the surface of the potatoes or the pork, turning the pork over to brush all sides. Transfer the pork to a carving board. Slice the pork into medallions one-fourth-inch thick and arrange on a serving platter. Place the potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with the shallots and butter just until coated, discarding any excess butter. Arrange the potatoes around the outside of the pork and serve immediately.
What Goes With What Wines Selections
Descombes Morgon Beaujolais ’06, France (Beaujolais)
One of the upper level Cru’s the wine is brimming with cassis and black raspberry and a bitter-sweet floral. It’s concentrated finish has lip-smacking brightness of fruit and salty minerality that matches well with the cooking style of the pork. R91 $19.99
http://na
Kris Pinot Grigio 2007, Italy (Pinot_Gris)
This Pinot Gris has a lovely bouquet of peach, citrus and other fruit aromatics. The wine is balanced with soft and creamy fruit flavors along with sound acidity and moderate alcohol. R 88 $9.99
http://na