pork tenderloin with mushroom stuffing

since discovering that pork tenderloin can be incredibly moist and flavoursome if wrapped in pancetta and stuffed with something exciting (caramelised onion, chorizo, lemon and spinach was my first foray into stuffing this cut of meat), i’ve been trying different approaches.

this mushroom stuffing was particularly good - the rich, earthy mushroom flavour, lightened a little with some herbs and lemon zest, complimented the pork really well. we ate this with a couple of salads – radish and broad bean salad with tahini dressing and char-grilled asparagus, courgettes and halloumi salad – and some warm bread.

pork tenderloin with mushroom stuffing (serves 4)

1 pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

200-250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped

a handful of breadcrumbs (1-2 slices bread)

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

zest and juice of half a lemon

black pepper

12 rashers of pancetta

preheat the oven to 200c.

cut the pork in half, lengthways. bash each piece of meat with a rolling pin (place the meat between a couple of layers of cling film or in a plastic bag) to flatten it a little.

heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions and garlic until they begin to soften. add the mushrooms and fry until they are cooked through, have released their water and this has bubbled away. remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest and juice. season well with black pepper.

place the pancetta rashers in a line, on a board, slightly overlapping. top this with one half of the pork tenderloin and cover this with the mushroom stuffing. top with the other half of the tenderloin and wrap the pancetta around it, sealing in the stuffing. place, seal side down, on a lightly-oiled baking tray and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the pork is cooked through. leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.