Pounded Pork Tenderloin with Lemon, Sage and Mushrooms

We just love pork in this house, especially free range pork. Loaded with flavour it's positively delicious. You just can't ask for a nicer piece of meat. Our local Waitrose stocks beautifully flavoured Hampshire bred free range pork that is absolutely wonderful . . . delicate and sweet . . . with just a hint of apple . . .

I particularly love pork tenderloin. It's mild flavour and texture are such a treat. It requires very little cooking time, and cooked properly, is always moist and tender . . . My mother always cooked pork to death, but I think most people did back then. Admidst great fears of trichinosis, pork in those days was always well cooked . . . over-cooked really. Never mind, we loved her pork chops anyways, and were always well pleased when they were on the menu, especially when accompanied with her tasty milk gravy and a mound of fluffy mash!




Sage and garlic have such a wonderful affinity with pork. They're like the holy trinity of pork, and you just can't get much better than that combination . . .



well . . . unless you decide to wrap it in some smokey Italian Proscuitto ham, . . . with some earthy brown mushrooms . . .



and tart fresh lemon thrown in to the mix, for an added layer of flavour . . .



mmm . . . this combination is pure heavenly bliss . . . moreishly scrummy . . . absolutely . . . the best!



sorry mom . . .



*Pounded Pork Tenderloin with Lemon, Sage and Mushrooms*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A delicious pork dish with an abundance of flavours, all melding together into a wonderful taste experience. Be careful not to over cook the pork so that it drys out. You will be rewarded with meltingly tender pieces of meat if you follow my advice.

16 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 8 thick slices
salt and black pepper
8 fresh sage leaves
8 slices of proscuitto ham
1 punnet of brown mushrooms, sliced
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
£ TBS butter
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
the juice of one lemon

Place the pork slices in between two sheets of cling film and carefully pound it with the side of a rolling pin until you have pork cutlets, about 1/4 inch thick, without tearing the meat. Season well on both sides with salt and black pepper. Chop the sage leaves and sprinkle some on each cutlet. Wrap a piece of proscuitto around each and secure with a cocktail stick. Set aside.

Melt 1 TBS of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam add the mushrooms. Cook without stirring until they begin to brown, then stir them so that you can brown them all over. Scoop out to a bowl and set aside.

Add the olive oil and garlic to the pan. Cook over medium high heat until the garlic becomes quite fragrant. Working in two batches brown the pork well on each side, no more than 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan to a platter and set aside. Add the remaining 2 TBS of butter to the pan. Cook until it turns a nut brown, about 2 minutes, and then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemonjuice and the parsley. Add the mushrooms to the pan and then pour the mixture over the warm cutlets. Serve immediately.