I feel like Melanie Griffith’s character, Tess in Working Girl, trying to explain how I came up with this. It started with the leeks and fennel that I made one Easter to go with the butterflied lamb. There was only a small bit left, maybe a cup at most and I remember getting ready to toss them out, only to hear some cries of “NOOO!!! What are you doing? Don’t throw that out!” There was a minor skirmish over who would get the remaining leftovers. I think there was a truce and they just ate it from the skillet.
So after that I started experimenting with the leeks and fennel. I liked the combination of the 2 together. Leeks aren’t as pungent as onions, so no tears. Fennel was new to me. I think I had always been put off by the idea that it tasted like licorice. Raw maybe, but I’ve never tasted the licorice flavor most of us detest. If anything I notice I mild onion-y-ness to it when cooked and it compliments leeks perfectly.
A few years later I saw a recipe for adding a little half and half to the leeks after sauteeing. Seemed weird but I tried it and loved it. Another winner.
And then the tenderloin. I love pork tenderloin. Quick to cook, always tender and a million different ways to do.
So back to Tess I started thinking, leeks, fennel, pork tenderloin, so yea now here we are!
If you want a movie break, here’s the scene I’m talking about.
https://youtu.be/4iuAN4Ni-9A
For this you will need:
1 pkg pork tenderloins (the package where you get 2 tenderloins, it looks like one but is really 2 smaller ones inside) approximately 2 1/2 lbs., trimmed of fat and silver skin
4 hefty tsps. grainy mustard (2 tsps. per tenderloin)
4 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks, whites only, trimmed and sliced thin
2 small to medium fennel bulbs, halved, cored and sliced thin
1/3 cup half and half
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle tenderloins with some olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper all over. Then slather with some grainy mustard, a thin coat on each. Sear in a heated cast iron skillet (med high heat), about 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Place pan in oven for 20-30 minutes. I added just a little water to pan also, about 1/3 cup (watch out for the steam though).
Take skillet out of oven, remove tenderloins to platter to rest, loosely tent with foil. In same skillet, over med high heat, place butter until it melts. Add in leeks and fennel, and saute until softened and translucent, season with salt and pepper. Continue sauteeing until slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Bring down to simmer and stir in half and half.
Slice tenderloin and serve over leeks and fennel.
I served with parmesan sweet potato fries.
Jersey Jules 