RECIPE: Shortcut romesco meets pork tenderloin for early spring dinner
Romesco, a rich Catalan nut- and pepper-filled sauce, is one of those delightful condiments that goes well on just about anything. It is traditionally eaten with first-of-the-season grilled wild onions called calçots, but there’s no reason to limit yourself — and there are few foods better suited to a big spoonful of romesco than pork. Its sweet, mild flavor is a perfect match for the piquant sauce.
Pork chops and pork shoulder are great, but I prefer lean, quick-cooking pork tenderloin for a weeknight meal. You’ll want to pick up two tenderloins on the small side (about 12 ounces each) or slice a large one in half lengthwise to cut down on cooking time. They’ll take about 15 minutes in a ripping hot oven, and then need 5 minutes to rest before serving. This almost entirely hands-off cooking process gives you plenty of time to make the sauce.
While it can contain many more ingredients, I’ve pared this romesco down to the essentials: roasted peppers, almonds, garlic, good olive oil, and red wine vinegar. It’s quickest and easiest to use jarred roasted red peppers here, along with roasted, unsalted almonds. (Using unsalted almonds means you can completely control the seasoning of the sauce.) These go into a food processor with peeled garlic and then just need a 30-second blitz before being emulsified with oil and vinegar.
Serve the pork with plenty of sauce, toasted good bread, and a quick baby arugula salad on the side.
- 2 (12-ounce) pork tenderloins
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers
- 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted almonds
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- On the side: Toasted crusty bread and arugula salad
- Place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare the pork by rubbing the tenderloins with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season well on all sides with salt and pepper.
- When the oven is hot, carefully remove the baking sheet and place the pork in the center. Roast for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the pork. Continue to roast until the thickest part of the pork registers 140 degrees, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the pork to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the pork is cooking, make the romesco sauce: Combine the peppers, almonds and garlic in a food processor. Process until the almonds are in small pebble-sized pieces, about 30 seconds. With the processor running, drizzle in the vinegar and 1/4 cup of the olive oil (the remaining 4 tablespoons). Continue to process until the mixture is creamy and emulsified. Season to taste with salt, then transfer to a serving bowl. Slice the pork and serve with the romesco, bread and salad. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 419 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 41 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 25 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 111 milligrams cholesterol, 1,289 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
