Pork Medallions with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Pork Medallions and Mushroom Cream Sauce Dish Guide

1 Pork Tenderloin, cut into ~2" medallions

1 T olive oil

8 oz finely chopped mushrooms (any variety)

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 T chives, minced

1 shallot, minced

1-2 T or oz Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the pork tenderloin into roughly 2" thick medallions. Season with salt and dry brine (let rest) on the counter for an hour or overnight in the fridge. While you wait, prep the sauce ingredients - chop the mushrooms, shallot and chives and measure the wine and cream. Heat a stainless steel saucepan over medium high heat and add a T of olive oil. Making sure the tenderloin pieces have been patted dry, place them into the hot pan and sear, cooking on the first side for 4-6 minutes until a cood crust forms on the botto of the medallions. They should release and turn over easily. Flip them over and move the pan into a 400 degree oven and cook until they are 135-140 degrees in the middle. (Should take 5-10 minutes depending on how thick your pork is cut, check with an instant read thermometer).

Remove the pan from the oven and take the pork out to rest. Return the pan to medium high heat and cook the mushrooms until they are deeply brown and have given up most of their liquid (5-7 min). Add the shallot and cook an additional couple minutes until a golden brown fond is forming on the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the wine and scrape all the fond off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and any juices from the resting pork and reduce for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce does not immediately re-cover the bottom of the pan when you slide a spatula through it (see video). Add the cheese if desired and stir until its combined. Add the chives, season with salt and pepper to taste and you are ready to plate.

Dish Notes

You can return the pork to the sauce at the end to coat the medallions but I like to plate the two components separately. Pork chops and loins are safe to eat medium and above (140 degrees). The final product will be decidedly less tender and juicy if you choose to cook it well done. If you choose not to use alcohol, substitute an equal amount of water for wine and add a squeeze or lemon juice. You can substitute full fat coconut milk for the cream if you are non-dairy. I know some people have strong takes on blue cheese. I love it and don't find the flavor in the sauce to be too prevalent but if you can't stand the idea of it, leave it out or grate in some fresh parm.