Roast Pork Tenderlion with Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Roasted Potatoes for a Farmer's Market Dinner Party

Roast Pork Tenderlion with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Earlier this year, I joined a facebook group of food bloggers that all reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. About a month ago, Renee of Creative Mama, Messy House suggested a farmer's market dinner party. Participants shop for ingredients at their local farmer's market and each prepare one course, not unlike a progressive dinner. This was my original motivation for shopping at the Irvington Farmer's Market where I found the pluots to prepare the ice cream dessert I published about a week ago in addition to the tomatoes and mushrooms I used in the scallop dish I published previously.

I had a couple of issues planning this dish. The first issue I had was with the type of ingredients. One of the questions asked was any diet restrictions bloggers had and several noted a gluten-free diet and was placed in that group. In all honesty, I wasn't prepared to do a gluten free dish, as it's not a niche where I specialize but it turns out that it's not nearly as restrictive as I originally feared. In fact, I discovered many of the dishes I have prepared previously are gluten free and I hadn't realize this, so I must thank Renee for providing the inspiration to learn something new. Gluten free diets are required for those that suffer from celiac disease. Generally, foods-other than many grains such as wheat, rye, and barley-are allowable in their unprocessed form. This includes fresh meats, poultry, fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, and eggs. For more information on this diet, I'll refer you to this Mayo Clinic page which can explain the diet in more detail. The second issue I had was completely of my own making. In my excitement of coming home with my farmer's market finds, I prepared this entreé only to discover later that I was assigned the appetizer course, so I must thank Jane of The Heritage Cook for agreeing to switch courses with me.

The Challenge

Use ingredients purchased at a farmer's market in a gluten-free dish. In this case, I used parsley, mushrooms and potatoes.

The Source

I adapted the roasting method found on page 147 of Carla's Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World by Carla Hall with Genevieve Ko to a sauce found on finecooking.com. I adapted the potato side from cookthink.com.

Ingredients

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, washed, scrubbed and halved (or quartered, if large)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins, approximately 1 pound each
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, chopped
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup dry Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Roast the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, garlic, rosemary, olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes then transfer the contents of the bowl onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast in the oven until the potatoes have a crisp exterior with a soft interior and browned, approximately 35 minutes.

2. Roast the pork tenderloin. Season the tenderloins on all sides with salt and pepper, then place the tenderloins in an oven-safe skillet and into the oven with the potatoes but on a different rack until the tenderloins reach an internal temperature of 135° Fahrenheit, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set the pork aside on a plate to allow for carryover cooking.

3. Prepare the sauce and finish the dish. While waiting for the potatoes, melt the butter in the same skillet used to roast the pork on the stovetop over medium heat. Once melted, sweat shallots with a pinch of kosher salt, approximately 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have browned and the fluid secreted from the mushrooms have evaporated, approximately 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala, scraping any fond, and simmer until almost completely evaporated. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, parsley and any accumulated fluids from the resting pork then taste, adjusting the seasoning if necessary. Cut the tenderloin into 1 inch pieces. To serve, spoon some sauce onto a warmed plate, then several pork slices on top of the sauce and surround with potatoes.

Successful?

Both Mrs. Stuntman and I noted the intense flavor of the dish and she requested I prepare it again. Also, I believe all of the ingredients are gluten free. Am I correct?

Please check out the other courses in this Farmer's Market Dinner Party:

Appetizer
Caprese Skewers by The Heritage Cook

Salad
Warm Green Bean and Tomato Salad by Creative Mama, Messy House

Side Dish
Loaded Mashed Cauliflower by Nosh My Way

Entreé
Roast Pork Tenderlion with Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Roasted Potatoes by Crazy Foodie Stunts

Dessert
Vanilla Bean Infused Cheesecake with Peaches in Dark Rum Sauce by Fearless Dining