Monday Night Meal: Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Maple Yams

Owner of Hepcat Coffee Terry John Zila shares a recipe for a meal that is easy to make, but will make you feel like you’re kicking up your skills a notch or two.

Ingredients for Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin:

• 1 3-pound center-cut pork loin
• ½ cup dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

• Whisk together the Dijon, thyme, parsley olive oil and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Place the pork loin in the dish and roll to coat the entire loin in the herb/mustard mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably, overnight.
• Take the pork out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet.  Season the pork loin on all sides with the salt and pepper and brown the entire surface area of the loin.
• Position oven racks in the center and the bottom third of the oven. Place a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Place the pork loin on the rack and roast the loin on the center oven rack of the preheated oven for about 1 to 1 ¼ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork loin reads 120°F. Remove for oven and allow pork loin to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients for Ginger Maple Garnet Yams:

• 2 pounds UNPEELED garnet yams
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
• 4 egg whites
• Pinch salt

Instructions:

• Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Cook 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the soufflé dish and set aside.
• Peel the cooled sweet potatoes and place them in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth.
• Transfer the puree to a large bowl and stir in the lemon zest, cayenne pepper, salt, and crystallized ginger. Then stir in the maple syrup and heavy cream and add the nutmeg. Whisk until all ingredients are fully combined.
• Place the egg whites in a separate bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add a pinch of salt and beat until soft peaks form.
• Add one-fourth of the beaten egg whites to the puree mixture. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the buttered soufflé dish and bake until lightly golden, about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.