I remember the first pork tenderloin I ever made – it was with a mustard cream sauce.  The pork came out of the oven, I let it rest (like the recipe said), and I thinly sliced it. I served it with the mustard sauce drizzled on top – and it was fantastic.  I felt like a gourmet cook – the plate looked professional.  I just couldn’t believe how easy it was to make such a delicious and wonderful meal.  From then on, pork tenderloin was my stand-by whenever I wanted to impress someone.  These days, I am usually just looking for something I can cook quickly after working all day – that tastes like I have been cooking for hours.  Pork tenderloin does it every time.  I found this recipe in Bon Appetit, but it wasn’t a recipe for pork – it was actually for steak.  I looked at the ingredients though, and I thought it would be a perfect marinade for pork – and I was right.  It was super easy, and the hoisin shallots were delicate yet flavorful.  As you can see, I served it with rice and broccoli, and it was a big hit – the four of us devoured this – fortunately I had dessert all ready.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a shallow dish and marinate the pork for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Transfer the pork to a shallow roasting dish and roast in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until an internal temperature registers 170 degrees.  While the pork is cooking, transfer the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, adding additional chicken broth if it gets to thick.  It is done when the shallot are nice and soft.

Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly – serve with rice.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here:  Roasted Pork with Hoisin Shallots