Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Blue Cheese Polenta

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.)
• About 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 12 firm-ripe figs, rinsed, stem ends trimmed, and halved lengthwise
• 3 thyme sprigs (each about 3 in. long), rinsed
• 1 cup coarse polenta
• About 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 1/2 oz.)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation

1. 1. Rinse pork and pat dry; trim and discard fat and any silvery membrane from tenderloin. Sprinkle meat lightly with salt and pepper. Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch nonstick, ovenproof frying pan over high heat, tilting pan to coat bottom; when oil is hot, add tenderloin and turn as needed to brown on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove from heat; arrange figs and thyme sprigs around pork.
2. 2. Transfer pan with pork to a 400° regular or convection oven; bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part of meat reaches 155°, 18 to 25 minutes.
3. 3. Meanwhile, in a 4- to 6-quart pan, combine polenta, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 1/2 cups water. Stir over high heat until mixture boils; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until polenta is smooth to taste, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup blue cheese; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
4. 4. Transfer tenderloin and figs to a rimmed platter and let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes. Add wine, honey, and orange peel to unwashed frying pan. Boil over high heat, stirring to release browned bits, until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs.
5. 5. Slice pork diagonally across the grain 1/2 inch thick. Spoon polenta mixture equally onto four dinner plates. Arrange pork and figs over polenta; spoon sauce equally over pork and figs. Top with more blue cheese if desired.