Tender Pork Tenderloin with Walnut Sauce

Ingredients

• Prep Time: 15 Min
• Cook Time: 40 Min
• Servings: 4

• 1 pork tenderloin of about 700 grams (1 ½ pound)
• 50 g (⅓ cup) of flour
• 50 g (4 tablespoons) of extra virgin olive oil
• 100 ml (½ cup) of dry white wine
• 200 ml (1 cup) of vegetable broth
• one clove of garlic
• two sprigs of rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Walnut Sauce

• 125 g (4,5 oz) of shelled walnuts
• 50 g (1,7 oz) of white bread
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) of milk
• 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Try this authentic Ligurian extra virgin olive oil that's perfect for this recipe
• 50 g (½ cup) of Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 small peeled garlic clove
• 15 g (1 tablespoon) of pine nuts
• fine salt to taste

Homemade Walnut Sauce

First make the walnut sauce. It's a very simple and quick preparation to make. You can make it even 2-3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Or freeze it!

BEFORE YOU START! To make a walnut sauce with a mild flavor and smooth texture, you must first remove the brown skin from the walnuts. To do this, blanch them in plenty of water for a few minutes. Then drain and dry them with a clean cloth. Finally, rub them between your fingers to remove as much of the skin as possible. If, on the other hand, you prefer your walnut sauce grainier and with a more intense flavor, you don't have to do anything. Use walnuts with their skins on.

Step 1) - Remove the crust from the white bread (if any) and place it in a bowl with milk to soften it. Then squeeze the bread between your hands to remove excess milk. Now place the walnuts in a food processor.

Step 2) - Next add the bread, grated Parmigiano cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Blend all ingredients for about 5 minutes at medium speed, blending in pulses, stopping every 5-6 seconds. This is to prevent the walnuts from overheating and releasing their oil. When you have reached the desired consistency, adjust the salt to taste.

Your walnut sauce is ready!

For more information, tips and tricks check out the full walnut sauce recipe

How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

Step 1) - First, remove any excess fat from the pork tenderloin. Be careful not to break or puncture the meat. Then dip the tenderloin in the flour. Coat the entire tenderloin well, then shake off excess flour and set aside.

Step 2) - In a frying pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and rosemary. Add the floured pork tenderloin to the hot oil and brown for a few minutes.

TIP: This step is VERY IMPORTANT! Be sure to brown the meat well on all sides, including the ends. This serves to seal the meat and retain the juices inside, preventing them from leaking into the cooking juices. If you follow this tip, you will have a very tender tenderloin!

Step 3) - Still over medium heat, deglaze the tenderloin with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and then reduce the heat.

Step 4) - Add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes.

TIP: During cooking, check that the meat does not stick to the bottom and turn the tenderloin at least two or three times. Use wooden or silicone spoons to avoid the risk of piercing the meat.

How to Serve Pork Tenderloin in Walnut Sauce

Step 1) - Remove the pork tenderloin from the pan. Place it on a cutting board and let it cool a little. This will make it easier to slice it. Cut the pork tenderloin into somewhat thick slices. The pork tenderloin, when cooked well, is slightly pink inside, as in our photo. Meanwhile, remove the rosemary and garlic from the cooking juices.

Step 2) - Over very low heat, stir the walnut sauce into the meat cooking juices. Heat for a couple of minutes.

Step 3) - Top the pork tenderloin slices with the walnut sauce and hot cooking juices. Decorate with a few walnut kernels and a few rosemary needles and serve.