Over the past year and a half I have come to adore sun-dried tomatoes. I'm sure it has to do with my tastes developing as I explore new foods. When I was younger I despised all raw tomatoes. The texture is definitely what weirds out most kids. The juicy tomato guts in the middle? Come on, ew! Sun-dried tomatoes I could tolerate, but I knew they started off as raw tomatoes.
Last year my sister and I would frequently visit the Noah's Bagels in downtown Corvallis for breakfast. I saw the sun-dried tomato bagel and was intrigued. Toasted and spread with schmear... oh baby, it was delicous! Suddenly I knew: sun-dried tomatoes are awesome! They're sweet, yet packed with flavor and taste like summer!
I was talking to my mom the other week and revealed my idea for doing a roast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. She mentioned a recipe she had seen on a Food Network show for sun-dried tomato pesto stuffed pork tenderloin. Um... YES! The great thing about pesto is that it keeps really well in the fridge and can be made in a big batch, then frozen. I usually measure out 1-cup servings to freeze.
When I made the tenderloin, I only used 1 loin (there are 2 in the package) and used 1/2-cup of the pesto. To help keep the roast together, I tied it a few times with kitchen twine. The balsamic honey mustard mixture brushed on top of the roast could even be used as a dressing for salad or roasted veggies. Next time I may try it without this mixture. The pesto in the center packs in so much flavor for the dish, I'm not sure you need the extra flavor on the outside. I served it with mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives (a healthier option than the normal mashed potatoes packed with butter and cream) and sugar snap peas. Whipping up the pesto ahead of time makes this recipe a breeze.
Note: The Noah's in Corvallis no longer makes sun-dried tomato bagels (I know, how dare they?!). I may start experimenting with sun-dried tomato focaccia bread though...
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Everyday Italian, Giada de Laurentiis
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1 (8.5-oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
In the bowl of a food processor, blend sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic, just until tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper to taste. (Lasts 1 week in airtight container in fridge, or freeze to keep longer)
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto-Stuffed Pork
Robin Miller
4 servings
Cooking spray
2 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 cup prepared sun-dried tomato pesto
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared honey mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cups quick cooking rice (optional for side dish)
1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut pork lengthwise 3/4 of the way through. Place in the prepared pan and spread sun-dried tomato pesto in the incision. Fold pork back over and use a metal or wooden skewer to close the seam (I tied it with kitchen twine). Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, honey mustard and thyme. Spoon mixture over pork.
4. Roast 45-minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 155-degrees (pork may still be pink in the center and that's ok).
5. Let pork rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1-inch thick slices. Serve with rice. Enjoy!
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