Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin and Roasted Golden Beet Salad Dressing

I was staring into my refrigerator on Sunday morning trying to decide what to do with a fresh pork tenderloin. Still undecided I retired to my office and began reading emails. A comment from The Mother @ The Mother's Handbook caught my eye and we began a quick chat via email. She mentioned that she had made my recipe for sage crusted pork chops and I mentioned my indecision on how to prepare today's pork tenderloin and she mentioned that she marinated her pork tenderloin in orange juice and soy sauce and well... the wheels started turning in my head and the gastric juices started to churn and voila:

Pan Seared Orange/Soy Pork Tenderloin was born.

As an extra bonus I discovered the last two golden beets from my summer CSA hiding out in the vegetable bin underneath the carrots. I decided to roast them and make a salad dressing from one of them; saving the other to slice onto fresh Boston lettuce, carrots and feta cheese. Hungry yet?

Okay. Let's get started.

For the tenderloin:

1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, smashed
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper the tenderloin and rub with the smashed garlic cloves. Place the orange juice and soy sauce in a zip lock bag or shallow bowl and add the tenderloin. Marinate for 20 minutes or up to an hour. Did you know that most of the flavor profile is transferred in the first 20 minutes of marinating? Ten minutes if we're talking fish. Anyhoo....

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

When finished marinating, remove from bag and dredge in Panko bread crumbs. Heat a small amount of olive oil in an oven proof saute pan until oil is shimmering. Add the tenderloin and brown on three sides. Turn onto the unbrowned side and immediately place the saute pan and tenderloin into the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from oven, tent and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

dredged in Panko

A quick sear browning

Finished and ready to enjoy

Roasted Golden Beet Dressing:

Wrap 2 golden beets in foil and roast in the a 400 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the beet slides in easily.

Let cool and slip skins off. Slice beets into half moons. Set half of the sliced beets aside. Take the other half of the beets and place in blender or food processor. Add three tablespoons of sherry vinegar and process until almost smooth. With blender running, drizzle in by the tablespoon 7 to 9 tablespoons of high quality extra virgin olive oil. Blend to emulsify. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will be very thick and fluffy.

Arrange torn fresh Boston lettuce leaves on a large platter, sprinkle with matchstick carrots and feta cheese. Arrange the rest of the golden beets on top of the greens. Add dressing and enjoy!

A Cook's Notes: If you don't have golden beets, red beets will work just fine and are absolutely just as beautiful and nutritious.

I want to thank all of you who comment on my blog, send me emails of encouragement and keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers. The season is changing and so am I.. slowly, slowly, I am coming out of the fog. I still have my days and nights where grief brings me to my knees but thankfully they are not as frequent and seem to pass a bit faster. I pray that spring will be a new awakening for us all.
Peace.
TGC