Pork Tenderloin with Stuffed Zucchini
As you know, I really enjoy cooking from Ina Garten’s cookbooks. This dinner was all from “Make It Ahead”, which is great for preparing meals ahead of time and then cooking them right before dinner. For the main entrée I made a Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin and Stuffed Zucchini as a side dish. It definitely took a long time to cook dinner, but it was worth it! Here are the three main parts of the dinner.
This apple chutney is a perfect complement to the pork to offset the saltiness. It’s worth a try even if you think you do not like cooked fruit (like my husband). This recipe takes awhile to cook, so I started this way in advance because it can be served at any temperature. Start by chopping the onion and then add the other ingredients to the pan except for the apples. Once everything has been combined, start peeling and dicing the apples into 1/2 inch pieces and add right away to the pan to prevent browning. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 50 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. I did not add the mustard seeds and raisins based on personal preference. Set aside until dinner.
Between the herbs and the prosciutto, there is an abundance of flavor in these pork tenderloins. The pork was delicious by itself and even better with the apple chutney. If you do not have time to make a chutney, apricot jam works just as well for a substitute.
Patting the pork tenderloins removes any extra liquid and allows the spice rub to stick better to the pork. I normally use the dry herbs I have on hand for recipes, but this one is worth getting the fresh rosemary and thyme from the store. The rub contains rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. I would cut back on the salt a little bit because the prosciutto is salty enough. Rub the olive oil and then the herb mixture over both of the tenderloins.
After it is completely coated with oil and herbs, take a slice of prosciutto and lay it on top of the pork. Then tuck the ends under the pork tenderloin. Be careful to not undo any of the slices when you add more prosciutto to the other end. It helps to have the prosciutto slices slightly overlap. Measure kitchen string long enough wrap around the pork and tie a knot. I had to do the string on every prosciutto slice to make sure it stayed put. Place the prepared tenderloins on a sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes (140 degrees for medium rare and 145 degrees for medium). When it’s at the correct temperature, remove from the oven and tightly cover the pork with aluminum foil. Let sit for 15 minutes. This is a great time to bake the zucchini (see below instructions). Once cooled, slice into thick slices and remove the string.
Stuffed Zucchini For Two
2 Zucchini
Olive Oil
1/2 cup sourdough bread in 1/2 inch pieces
1 Green Onion
1 Tomato
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (extra from pork recipe)
1 Clove of Garlic
1 T Grated Parmesan
Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup Grated Gruyère Cheese (2 oz)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. To make the zucchini tender, boil them for 8 to 10 minutes. Then cool the zucchini on a plate lined with paper towels. Once cooled, cut the zucchini lengthwise and then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place the zucchini cut side down onto the paper towels to drain the extra liquid.
Heat 2 T of olive oil in an 8-inch sauté pan and add the bread cubes. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes and stirring frequently. Transfer the bread cubes to a medium sized bowl. Keep the pan on the stove and add 1 T of olive oil, green onions, tomatoes, thyme and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat and stir every so often. Pour into the bread cube bowl. Add the parmesan and 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Toss gently.
Place the zucchini in a rectangular baking dish with cut sides up. You want to use a baking dish that keeps the zucchini packed close together. Add 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Fill the cavities with the mixture. Add the grated gruyère cheese on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.
All three parts of the meal worked well together and some of the ingredients overlapped, which helped minimize the grocery list. If you do not eat one of the cooked pork tenderloins, then wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the freezer. When you want to eat the pork for dinner, put it the refrigerator in the morning and then bake before dinner.
When cooking multiple dishes to create a meal, timing is very important, so everything is still hot when you sit down for dinner. I find it helpful to plan out the oven temperatures and cooking times before I even start cooking. This recipe for example allowed me to bake the zucchini while the pork rested for 15 minutes. This made it so much easier for plating because it all came out at once.
