Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Mustard Sauce
This is one of my “wow” factor meals – something that sounds as wonderful and interesting as it tastes. The best part is, this recipe comes from a Cooking Light cookbook, so not only does it pack some serious flavor, but it is easy on the waistline too! The sauce is the real star of this dish. (And the most complex aspect of the recipe, however very worth it.) With a unique combination of sweet blackberry with savory pork, the sauce is a rich, dark, luscious dressing for the meat. It ends up a deep purple color and feels like blackberry velvet in your mouth.
In this recipe, the pork is rubbed with a combination of cinnamon, garlic, allspice, and thyme to give it a sweet and savory punch. Cooked entirely on the stove top in one pan, the recipe is pretty versatile. (aka doesn’t hog your oven all day or insist on a smokey outdoor grill.) I like it as a Spring dish because it utilizes the grocery store abundance of blackberries (Chile has a massive harvest this time of year) and therefore transitions nicely from a some what hearty meal, with a lighter fruit twist.
The recipe is relatively easy, as long as you don’t get discouraged by the multi-step sauce. The key is to make the blackberry mustard ahead of time, and if you do that, the recipe comes together nicely at the end. (It is easy to make extra blackberry mustard and it can be used to compliment chicken or pork. I use the left over mustard in pork paninis with caramelized onions.) I frequently entertain with this meal just because its a little extra-special, but I recommend giving it a “test spin” once for yourself to get a hang of the timing. (The sauce is completed the last 10 minutes while the pork is resting.)
Even if the recipe seems a little daunting, I highly suggest you give it a try. This is certainly a recipe you want in your arsenal!
I tried this and it is delicious. I need suggestions for side dishes as I am planning to serve this to a group of people who bought the meal at a dinner auction/school fundraiser. I have 4 other courses planned, so I am looking for simple sides. I was thinking a leak couscous and simple salad. Any suggestions?
Hi Stacey,
For a salad, I would go with spinach with a balsamic dressing and perhaps some dried cherries and walnuts – this will bring out the fruit flavors in the dish, but also keep with the richness of the pork. For sides, I think you want to stay on the simple side, so as not to take away from the main dish. I think the cous cous is a good idea, however I would hesitate over the leeks. Perhaps herbs would be a better accompaniment? I also would add a simple veggie – maybe some green beans with almonds? To round out the meal, what about a simple dessert using blackberries to echo the main dish? You could do something as simple as serve a good vanilla ice cream and make a quick blackberry sauce (simmer some berries with sugar and water and a squeeze of lemon juice just until the berries begin to pop ~ 5 mins). I think that would make a very nice, cohesive meal. I am glad that you enjoyed the pork tenderloin. You picked a great time of year – the blackberries are back “in season” now that we can ship produce from around the world! Good luck with your dinner.