Herbed Pork Tenderloin With Apples and Cider Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups thinly sliced leek
• 2 cups sliced Granny Smith apple
• 2 cups sliced Rome apple
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Combine salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture over pork. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Place pork on a sheet pan. Bake 14 minutes or until pork registers 160°. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
3. 3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, apples, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 6 minutes or until soft and lightly browned, stirring frequently.
4. 4. Combine water and flour in a small bowl; set aside. Remove apple mixture from pan; keep warm. Add 3/4 cup cider to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add flour mixture to reduced cider, stirring with a whisk. Simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream.
5. 5. Slice pork thinly. Divide apple mixture evenly among 4 plates; serve pork alongside. Spoon sauce over pork and apples.
6. Andrea's wine pick: Barrel-fermented California Chardonnay has plenty of apple notes to echo the sauce and enough body to stand up to the pork. Try St. Francis, Sonoma 2002, $12.