Pork Tenderloin w/ Baby Potato Salad

Fast and easy, both to prep and cook!

It was one of those days where I wasn't really eager/ didn't have much time to do food shopping, so I thought to myself "What do I have in my cupboards?" - and the answer was baby potatoes!

When I established that I wanted to focus on the potatoes, I had to decide on what to pair them with, and which way I wanted to cook them. I went to my local grocery store, in hopes of finding something else then chicken... I ended up with two beautiful pieces of pork tenderloin!

Since I haven't eaten tenderloin in a while (it needs to be finished in the oven), I decided I was gonna make a dry rub for it, sear it in a hot pan, and then whack it in the oven together with the potatoes! And so I did. Keep on reading to find out how!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

350 - 450g pork tenderloin (use 2 pieces if you can, save the rest for a killer sandwich)
400g baby potatoes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or any other dried herb you prefer)
100g crème fraîche
2 - 3 spring onions (or chives), sliced thinly
1 small garlic clove, minced finely
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Allrightyyyy then!

Let's begin by slicing our baby potatoes in half. Place them in a bowl, season with salt & freshly ground pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and the plucked out the leaves from the rosemary sprigs. Toss to combine, then lay them skin side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake them in a preheated oven on 220°C for anywhere between 20 - 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Test them to check if they're done by poking them with a skewer, or a fork.

Meanwhile, chop up the rest of your ingredients, and prepare the rub for the pork.

Combine all the dry spices in a small bowl, together with some salt.

Don't add pepper just yet, because it will burn while you're searing the meat in a hot pan.

Sprinkle the rub over the meat, then press it in tightly, making sure you cover the entire cut.

Place a large non stick pan on high heat. Once heated, add a drizzle of olive oil, and your meat. Sear on each side until the meat has browned - approx. 2 - 3 minutes. Lean the sides of the meat on the egde of your pan, to make sure that they get seared as well.

Transfer to an oven dish, and bake together with the potatoes in the same oven for 16 - 18 minutes. When cooked, the pork should be pink on the inside, and juicy throughout.

Once done, leave your meat on a board to rest for 5 - 10 minutes.

Allowing it to rest will ensure that it loses less of its juices while being cut, resulting in a more succulent and juicy end product.

Next, transfer your potatoes in a bowl. Break up the crème fraîche with a spoon or fork, then add to the potatoes along with the spring onion, minced garlic, and a small drizzle of olive oil. Taste to check if you're happy with the seasoning, adjust if necessary.

Once the pork has rested, cut it into slices with a sharp knife, and you're ready to serve!