The naturally mild flavor of pork allows it to stand up well to bold flavorings. On that note, some of my favorite tastes to pair with pork are rosemary, sage and fennel. For this Italian-inspired, baked pork dish I seasoned pork tenderloin fillets with fennel pollen, a touch of granulated garlic, salt and pepper and fresh sage leaves. A drizzle of fruity olive oil and into the oven they go! Served on top of a quick saute of Lacinato or Tuscan kale, sliced garlic, cherry tomatoes and crispy pancetta, all this dish needs is a little tang, which is happily gets from a drizzle of rich balsamic vinegar.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Fennel & Sage-Rubbed Pork with Tuscan Kale & Pancetta Sauté
Ingredients:
- (4) pork tenderloin fillets, about 1-inch thick
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon fennel pollen
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- olive oil
- For the saute:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 head of Lacinato/Tuscan kale, ends trimmed, leaves cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 oz. cubed pancetta, cooked to crisp, drained on paper towl
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a glass baking sheet with olive oil spray. Season each pork fillet with a pinch of salt and pepper, and divide the granulated garlic and fennel pollen among the pork as well. Top each with 2 sage leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked to an internal temp of 145 degrees.
- In the meantime, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil with the garlic and red pepper flakes in a large, straight-sided saute pan. Cook for 30 seconds over medium heat; add in the kale and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add in the halved cherry tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar. Cook for 2 more minutes; stir in the cooked pancetta.
- Let the pork rest for 5 minutes from the oven, then serve over the saute of greens and tomatoes.
Tagged: baked pork, balsamic vinegar, cherry tomatoes, fennel, fennel and sage-rubbed pork, fennel pollen, fresh sage, kale, kale and pancetta saute, Lacinato kale, pancetta, pork, Tuscan kale
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