What to get...

For the Marinated Pork Tenderloin:
• 1.5-2 lb lean pork tenderloin (my package came with two, smaller cuts), slice into ~1.5" medallions
• 1/4 cup Basil EVOO (WeOlive)
• 1/4 cup Blackberry Balsamic (WeOlive)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 T honey
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, minced or finely chopped
• several fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 T butter (for searing the pork loin slices on stove)
For the Roasted Vegetables:
• 8 oz bag of mini zucchinis (sliced, about 1.5 cups worth)
• 1 cup sliced yellow squash
• 12 oz of fresh butternut squash cubed
• 1/8 cup blackberry balsamic (WeOlive)
• 1/8 cup regular balsamic
• 1T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 cup white wine
For the Cranberry Cabernet Compote:
• 12oz bag of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup red wine (Cabernet)
• 3 T red wine (Cabernet) added at end of cooking compote)
• 2-3 T sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
For the Harvest Grain Mix:
• 1.25 cups harvest grain mix (mix dried Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo, red quinoa)
• 1.75 cups chicken broth
• 1T butter
• Salt & Pepper

What to do...

Make Pork Tenderloin Marinade:
1. In large bowl combine all pork loin marinade ingredients above (minus butter), into a large mixing bowl, whisk well.
2. Slice pork loin into medallions about 1-2 inches thick.
3. Add pork slices to marinade, coating well & cover with plastic wrap.
4. Let pork marinate for about 45 minutes (can return to fridge, but remove 20 min before cooking).
Make Cranberry Compote:
5. While pork loin marinates, rinse package of fresh cranberries in a colander.
6. In medium pot on stove add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup cabernet, cranberries, sugar, salt and sprigs of fresh thyme, and simmer on very low till cranberries start to crack, thicken, stirring often & avoiding bringing to a boil (~10 min).
7. When most of cranberries have split, but texture is still chunky, taste sauce for sweetness and add more sugar as needed (this should not be too sweet).
8. Add additional 3 T red wine into cranberries, discard fresh thyme sprigs & remove from heat, set aside.
Prep & Roast Veggies:
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
10. In small pot of boiling water, blanch the cubed, fresh butternut squash till only slightly tender when tested with a fork (few minutes), rinse with cool water, drain and set aside.
11. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients for vegetable marinade above, add sliced zucchini, yellow squash and the cubed & blanched butternut squash, tossing well to coat.
12. In small roasting dish or pan with raised edge, sprayed with oil, lay out veggie mix including all remaining sauce.
13. Roast veggies till tender (10-20 min).
14. Once tender with a fork, remove from oven and cover with foil, set aside.
Cook Pork Loin & Grains:
15. Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees.
16. In medium pot on stove cook grains according to package directions: heat broth and butter bringing to boil, add harvest grains & simmer on medium low till mix returns to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot with lid & cook additional 10 min till tender.
17. When done, remove from heat, cover to keep warm.
18. Preheat large, oven-safe skillet on stove & melt 1T of butter.
19. Add pork medallions spaced evenly, with all remaining marinade juices.
20. Sear on medium-high on first side for a minute.
21. Flip all pork medallions, searing on second side for another minute.
22. Transfer entire pan into 300 degree oven and bake till center slices are only barely pink, but avoiding over cooking, these cook fairly quickly (depending on thickness 10-15 minutes, test one with knife to check center for doneness).
23. Remove from oven & let medallions sit a couple of minutes to retain juices, remove any remaining fresh thyme sprigs.
24. Return pan of roasted veggies to 300 degree oven if they need to warm up, also return pot of grains to stove on low as needed.
Serve & Enjoy:
25. Plate warm harvest grains mix, with roasted veggies on top, followed by pork loin medallions, adding some of the remaining pork sauce from pan on top.
26. Top pork with cranberry-cabernet compote and a fresh thyme sprig!

Notes

What to get...

• 24 oz center cut pork tenderloin (extra lean, fillet) cut into 1" medallions.
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• Head of cauliflower, trimmed and sectioned
• 1/4 lb smoked fontina cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 5 cloves garlic, for roasting
• 3 T butter, softened
• 1/4 cup Half & Half or milk
• 2 cups fresh spinach, for wilting
• 1 can chicken broth, low sodium
• *little extra balsamic for spinach
• *extra EVOO to drizzle onto roasting vegetables
• *extra white wine for sauce as desired
For pork Marinade & Reduction:
• 1/4 cup WeOlive Koroneiki EVOO
• 1/6 cup white wine (like Chardonnay)
• 1/8 cup WeOlive blackberry balsamic (or regular balsamic)
• 1 T WeOlive Garlic-infused EVOO *can add extra garlic clove chopped if you don't have
• 1 T Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1 T honey (if you don't have blackberry balsamic above, add little more honey)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced

What to do...

The Game Plan:
make marinade & marinate pork
roast veggies for smash
sear pork on stove, and transfer to oven
make smash and transfer to oven
reduce some of marinade on stove , for topping
wilt spinach on stove
plate!
Detailed Instructions:
1. Combine all marinade ingredients, whisk well in bowl, set aside.
2. Rinse and slice pork tenderloin into approx 1" slices (medallions).
3. Add pork to marinade bowl, coating each well.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and return to fridge for about 25 min.
5. Meanwhile, trim cauliflower and peel carrots & section into large pieces and place on an oiled roasting pan.
6. To pan add 5 garlic cloves, no need to peel.
7. Drizzle all with EVOO and S&P, and place pan in 400 degree oven and roast about 25 min uncovered.
8. Take pork marinade from fridge, stir, & let sit on counter covered for additional 20 min, to come closer to room temp.
9. Check roasting veggies & add about 1/2 cup water to bottom of pan, cover with foil, roast additional 35 min, or until tender/done with fork. Once tender, remove from oven and let cool slightly.
10. In a preheated, oven safe, skillet on stove (medium), sear pork medallions with some of the marinade, flipping on both sides till starting to brown. (3-5 minutes). Transfer to 350 degree oven, adding a few T of the chicken broth or some additional white wine. Pork is done when there is only faint hint of pink in center, so keep a close eye (think mine took about 15-20 min).
While Pork Cooks, Make Smash:
11. Chop roasted cauliflower, carrot and add 4 of the roasted garlic cloves peeled (they should be mush and sweet!). Add to bowl of electric mixer with 2-3 T butter, the half & half, some S&P to taste, combining well.
12. To achieve creamy consistency, I used immersion blender to smooth out chunks. (You can do this in a blender or food processor as well).
13. Return to oven safe dish/bowl to heat mixture in oven for about 5 minutes (pork may still be cooking, 350 OK). Once at temperature, add cubed fontina & parm, combining well, return to oven to melt thoroughly.*If pork is not yet done in oven, smash can go into oven along side it.
Cook Spinach & Reduce Sauce:
14. In another skillet, cook & reduce about a cup of remaining marinade on medium-low, thoroughly (because this had raw meat in it, you will need to cook for at least 15-20 min on medium).
15. Stirring often, as sauce thickens, add small amounts of chicken stock to thin consistency and mellow flavor. Let reduce on low until desired consistency/flavor is reached. (I added a little white wine, black pepper, and a T butter at this point, but season to your taste).*You won't need much of this; it is only to enhance the flavors. If it seems salty, add more broth or water.
16. On stove, in small pot (with available lid), add about 3/4 cup water, S&P and heat till almost boiling.
17. Add fresh spinach stirring into warm water. Reduce heat to medium-low & cover for 1 minute to help wilt. Remove lid & stir adding drizzle of balsamic, one of the roasted/smashed garlic cloves, and 1 T butter. Stir well over heat, till spinach is beginning to wilt & soften, but still bright green. Remove from heat, drain as needed.
18. Plate the warm smash, top with some of the wilted spinach, and then with pork medallions. Drizzle a small amount of reduced sauce to the top and eat!

Notes