Pork Tenderloin With Aromatic Soy Sauce & Shiitake Mushrooms

By ltrodrigu

First Choices: Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Riesling Spätlese Mosel Bernkastler Badstube 2007 (93 points, $32)

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound piece pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 10 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 whole star anise
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 8 to 10 sprigs of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Details

Adapted from winespectator.com

Preparation

Step 1

Rub the pork loin with salt and garlic. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the mushrooms and let sit for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are pliable. Cut off the stems and squeeze gently to remove most of the water.

Strain the mushroom water into a 3-quart saucepan. Add the soy sauce and set over low heat.

Put the sugar in an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven or similar pan or pot over medium-high to high heat. Let the sugar brown while stirring with a wooden spoon until it is a deep caramel color, about 10 minutes. Immediately add the soy sauce-water mixture and stir. Then stir in the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer for about 20 minutes over medium heat, until the sauce is reduced by one-third. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings.

Turn the oven to 200° F.

Put a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the peanut oil. Brown the pork on all sides until medium-rare (internal temperature of 100 to 110° F), about 8 to 10 minutes. Put the pan in the oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145° F, about 20 minutes. Remove the pork to a cutting board, covering loosely with foil to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

While the pork rests, strain the reduced sauce, remove mushrooms and halve or slice them. Return strained sauce to a 3-quart saucepan and add the ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring periodically. Boil for 30 seconds, then reduce heat and simmer gently.

Mix 1 tablespoon of sauce with the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the sauce, stir and let thicken slightly. Slice the pork and divide among 4 plates. Top with mushrooms and sauce. Garnish with cilantro.