Roast Pork with Herbes de Provence, Apples and Cider

This recipe is very loosely based around a Roast Pork and Cider recipe from the Brittany region of France, found in 'The World of Food: Provincial France' by Monique Guillaume.

I used a 1.1 lb pork tenderloin. Start by brining it in 5 cups of water and 3 tbsp salt. I left it in the brine for about 2 hrs (longer would have been better; overnight ideal), and then dried it off, cleaned it (removing the whitish 'silverskin' and most of the fat) and sprinkled it generously with salt, pepper and dried Herbes de Provence (a blend from the south of France, typically: basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme).

Take 3 large apples, remove the cores and cut each into 6 segments. Use these to line the bottom of a small (8x11 inch) roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and put a large pan (large enough to hold the whole tenderloin) on medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil to the pan, swirl it around and place the tenderloin in the pan. Leave it in long enough to sear (brown) the side in contact with the pan, then turn to sear the next 'side'. This took two turns for my tenderloin to sear 3 sides. Once seared all around, remove from the pan. Add 1.5 cups apple cider to the pan, and stir to dissolve any browned pieces on the bottom. Boil the cider for about 5 minutes, and then pour it over the apples in the roasting pan. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and put the pan in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then check for doneness, and roast longer if necessary. My 1.1 lb tenderloin took 40 minutes to reach well-done.

Once the pork is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes (remove from the roasting pan and set on a plate, covered loosely with foil). The resting allows the juices to distribute evenly through the meat, reducing the amount lost when you slice it.

I served the pork with garlic roasted potatoes and sauteed brussels sprouts. I drained the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and boiled it for about 5 minutes on high to reduce it, then swirled in about 1/2 tbsp of butter. This was then used to sauce the dish. It was enough food for 2 adults and a small child.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes - wash your potatoes (I figure one good-sized potato per person) and cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss with a generous slug of olive oil, some salt and pepper and a garlic clove (crushed and cut into small pieces). Pour everything into a small roasting dish (or onto a baking tray), and roast until tender (30-45 minutes).

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts - remove the bottom of the stem of each sprout. Remove and discard the outer darker green leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, and drop into boiling salted water. Allow to boil 5 minutes, then drain. Drop into a preheated pan with butter and a little seasoning. Saute until lightly browned.

Note #1: Brining the pork is not necessary, but it is recommended. It will give you juicier results.

Note #2: I used apple cider for this recipe. Hard (alcoholic) cider could be substituted if desired.

Note #3: I used red delicious apples. They were red but not so delicious.
I would recommend a more tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith) or maybe pears instead.

Note #4: Metric info: 1.1 lb = 500g; 1.5 cups = 350ml.