Roasted Pork Loin with Lentil Salad

This beautiful dish is deceptively simple to pull off. With added flavor from fresh herbs and whole-grain mustard, lentils make a bright and elegant accompaniment to pork tenderloin. Add a simple salad to start, and you have a dinner worthy of company.

 

Roasted Pork Loin with Lentil Salad

 

1 cup Puy lentils

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

6 cups chicken stock

Salt and ground pepper

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb., trimmed of excess fat

1 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 Tbs. each whole-grain mustard and red wine vinegar

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

In a saucepan, combine lentils, half of garlic, bay leaf and stock. Season well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer lentils until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool in stock.

 

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Season pork well. In an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until well browned, 6-8 minutes total. Add remaining garlic and rosemary. Place in oven and roast until juices run clear when pork is pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, drain lentils and put in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, mustard, vinegar, onion and parsley. Season and toss to combine. Spread on a serving platter. Slice pork thinly arrange on lentils and serve. Serves 4.

 

Find more recipes for entertaining in our cookbook Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Friends, by Alison Attenborough and Jamie Kimm.