Peppered bacon wrapped pork tenderloin
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 to 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used a wild mushroom blend but button and/or cremini work great, too)
1 cup finely diced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, lightly toasted (toast before chopping)
Two pork tenderloins,trimmed a bit
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices thick peppered bacon
1/4 to 1/3 cup or so firmly packed brown sugar, dark or light
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450.
Melt butter and add mushrooms, onions and sauté until tender.
Remove from heat, stir in nuts and set aside.
Butterfly pork by cutting a slit into the middle about 2/3 of the way down. It will open like a book. Then pound out to even thickness and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread mushroom mixture evenly, leaving a bit of a border so the filling doesn’t ooze out too much.
Roll up and wrap 4-5 bacon slices around tenderloin. If you like, you can get pork ready in the morning, but let sit out about 30 minutes prior to roasting.
Place, seam side down, in roasting pan. (I used my braiser).
Rub evenly with brown sugar and bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400 and bake about 15 more minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 140. Check toward end of roasting time. Don’t over cook or meat will be dry.
Tent with foil, let rest 10 minutes or so before slicing. Temperature will rise slightly as it sets.
Cranberry goat cheese spread
I’ve made this with dried cherries or apricots, too.
Ingredients
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped coarsely
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup goat cheese
2 tablespoons yogurt or more to taste
Honey to taste - start with about 1 tablespoon and go from there
1/4 cup or so finely chopped toasted walnuts (or other nuts) - optional
Instructions
Put everything in bowl and mix until blended well.
Keeps several days in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature to serve.