Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

 

2

tablespoons butter

1

small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)

1

clove garlic, finely chopped

1

cup (4 oz) crumbled blue cheese (preferably an aged Gorgonzola)

3

tablespoons coarsely chopped dried cherries

3

tablespoons chopped pecans

2

teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2

pork tenderloins (1 lb each)

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1

tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 400°F.
• 2 In 8-inch skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes.
• 3 In medium bowl, stir cheese vigorously with spoon. Stir in cooled onion mixture, cherries, pecans and thyme; set aside.
• 4 Place 1 pork piece on work surface with short side facing you. Use knife to slit in half lengthwise without going all the way through. Open pork like a book. Repeat with remaining pork. Spread half of the cheese mixture in center of each pork piece. Close up pork and tie with kitchen twine to secure. Season outside with salt and pepper.
• 5 In 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot. Add pork and cook about 4 minutes or until browned. Flip, being careful not to open them up, and cook about 4 minutes longer. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in the thickest part of pork.
• 6 Place skillet in oven and roast 10 to 15 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 155°F. Remove from oven and allow to rest, loosely covered with foil, about 5 minutes (temperature will continue to rise to 160°F). Slice each pork piece into 6 pieces. (If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, after browning pork in skillet, carefully place them in foil-lined 13x9-inch pan and then place in oven.)