Pork Tenderloin Filled with Spinach and Bacon

Moist and tender pork tenderloin filled with garlic and parmed spinach and bacon, then drizzled with a Dijon Cream Sauce. Easier to create this elegant rolled entree than it looks!

Tender is the word that defines this versatile cut of meat and draws me back to it time and time again. Pork tenderloin, though something of a blank canvas with a subtle flavor, welcomes marinades, spices, fillings, cheeses, to elevate it to a delicious entree, which can wear a costume of your choosing: Italian , Asian, Mexican, etc.

This particlar version might be called Florentine, due to the addition of a spinach and bacon filling. Florentine implies “from the Italian city of Florence” due to Catherine de Medici’s love of spinach (interesitng story.) The shallots and parmesan cheese in the filling, also suggest an Italian inspiration. Tuscany also hosts the best gelatos in the world (in this palate’s opinion), so in all fairness one might make a gelato filling (no I’ve never tried it). Best leave that version to a tender, roll-able sponge cake.

A roulade implies a rolled something or other - meat, cake, pastry, vegetable leaves and roulades or rolls, are found in many cuisines - chicken roulades, cabbage rolls, German Rouladen, burritos, Arab fateyahs, etc. Creating a flat surface in which to add a filling is not as difficult as it may seem for this roulade. Just use a sharp knife to cut a slit horizontally down the entire length of the tenderloin being careful to not cut all the way through. Open it up, like a book, cover it with plastic and give it a bit of a pounding to flatten it out some. The meat won’t mind and will stay as tender as always, regardless of the abuse suffered. In fact the meat almost purrs when you douse it with the Dijon Cream Sauce.

Spinach and Bacon Filled Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 slices bacon, chopped

6 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/3 cup onion (1/2 small onion) finely chopped

1 cup cooked chopped spinach, drained and moisture squeezed out

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 shallot, peeled and finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

-Preheat oven to 400˚F. In an oven-safe large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil with chopped bacon and cook until bacon is browned (3-4 minutes). Add sliced mushrooms, chopped onion and shallot, then sauté 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in chopped spinach and continue cooking another 5 mintues, until spinach is dry, stirring occasionally.

-Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, cayenne pepper, chopped parsley and minced garlic. Cook another minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool about 10 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

-Remove Silver Skin from Pork Tenderloin. Cut a slit all the way down the center of the tenderloin, cutting as far into the tenderloin as you can without cutting all the way through, Open tenderloin like a book, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy saucepan, until 1/2" thick without tearing through the meat. 

-Spread filling mixture evenly over the surface of the tenderloin, leaving 1/2" at the borders. Roll tightly starting with one long end (hot-dog style) and secure the ends with 6-7 toothpicks. Poke toothpicks through parallel to each other or tie with cooking string into a secure log shape. Season all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. 

-Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, place tenderloin in the skillet (toothpick-side-down) and sear about 2 minutes on each side (6-8 minutes total). Transfer the skillet with the tenderloin to the oven and bake at 400˚F for 18-20 min or until an instant read thermometer reads 145-150˚F in the thickest portion of the meat.

-Transfer tenderloin to a cutting board, brush with the pan drippings then let rest 10 minutes before slicing into rings. Arrange tenderloin slices on a serving tray. Brush with pan drippings for more flavor and garnish with parsley if desired. Drizzle dijon cream sauce over sliced pork, serving extra sauce on the side. Makes 6 servings.

Dijon Cream Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic minced

¾ cup chicken broth

¾ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon dried thyme or two sprigs fresh thyme 

salt and pepper to taste

-While pork is cooking, add butter and garlic to a medium skillet and cook garlic for 1 minute or until it is fragrant. Add chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits.

-Stir in cream, mustard powder, dijon mustard, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and taste for seasoning.

Saute onion, bacon and shallot together in a skillet, just to soften.

Cut tenderloin open down the middle, pound it out and then place filling along the middle. Roll meat over filling then secure with toothpicks or string.

Brown tenderloin in a large skillet in a little olive oil, until browned on all sides. Then place in roasting pan in the preheated oven.

Allow tenderloin to rest from oven for about 10 minutes, then slice into generous 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices.

Drizzle Dijon Cream Sauce over the tenderloin roll and serve immediately.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Silver skin is just that - a strip of silver-colored connective tissue on the side of pork tenderloin. Unlike fat, it will not render down but will become tough while cooking. With a sharp knife, just gently slice as much as you can off the side of the tenderloin and discard.

**Arrange slices on serving tray decoratively with the swirls of filling visible for a more appetizing look. Serve extra dijon cream sauce on the side.