I need to start this writeup by addressing the elephant in the room. The sauce was much better than it looks! Okay, now, let’s talk about the food itself. My wife came home from our CSA with a bunch of purple carrots with their greens attached the other day, and we wanted to use all of the bounty. We find carrot greens to be delicious and nutritious…but they can also be a little finicky, as they tend to be a little bitter, and their texture is very unique. For this particular usage, we got around the texture by pureeing, thus totally changing that aspect of them. For the bitterness, we relied on the inclusion of some honey to balance that out with sweetness. As for the protein, we selected pork tenderloin because of how juicy it is along with its natural sweetness. Fortunately, everything worked well together, and we ended up as happy diners throughout our experience!
We served our pork with “Mardi Gras” Veggie Medley…especially since the carrot greens for our sauce were attached to the carrots from the side!
Time: 40 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Pork Tenderloin
- Veggie Stock
- Carrot Greens
- Shallot
- Honey
- White Pepper
- Butter
- All Purpose Flour
- Optional: Organic Hay
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lay your pork tenderloin on a cutting board or a plate, give it a quick salt sprinkle, and let it sit.
- Get to work on your sauce:
- Dice your shallot.
- Cut your carrot greens off the tops of your carrots, and give them a good rinse. Then, align them on your cutting board, and cut into 2-3 inch strips.
- Melt some butter in a pan (we used cast iron), and when it’s hot, add your shallot. Allow to cook for a few minutes, and then add your greens. Sauté until they darken and soften.
- Combine your greens and some veggie stock in your blender, and puree.
- Note: if you want more earthiness, add some organic hay to your veggie stock and simmer for a while before cooking. Then, strain out the hay, and use your infused stock for this step.
- Heat some butter in a larger cast iron pan, and when it’s hot, add your pork tenderloin.
- Sear for about 5 minutes per side until the outside of your pork is golden brown. Then, stash the pan in the oven, and roast until it reaches an internal cooked temperature of at least 145 degrees F (165 degrees for well done).
- As your pork is nearing your desired temperature, turn your attention back to your sauce by Making a Roux:
- Melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a sauce pan.
- When your butter has melted, add an equal amount of flour, and whisk to combine.
- Allow to sit for a minute.
- Pour in your carrot green puree, add a bit of honey, and sprinkle in some white pepper.
- Bring to a low simmer, and allow to thicken.
- When your pork reaches your desired temperature, remove from the oven, and place your pork tenderloin on a cutting board. Wait a few minutes before slicing.
- Plate (sauce under or atop your pork…your call), devour, and enjoy!
