Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Asian Pears and Thyme

This is a Williams Sonoma Cooking for Friends recipe, but they use Bosc pears which I am sure would be just as delicious. I used shallots instead of a red onion, only because I had no red onion. I’ve always been nervous about making tenderloin, possibly because in my first attempt, I was told to bake them at 500 degrees, so the meat was dry and overdone. I have another recipe that uses pears with the tenderloin, it is good but uses cream and sherry, so much richer. This recipe is light and I will make it again and again. Served with apple sauce, and roast potatoes, a salad and cauliflower cheese, the pears and shallots are perfect companions.

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin about 1 lb trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 shallots, cut into wedges (or red onion)
4 Asian pears (or Bosc pears) cored and cut into 8 wedges. Leave the skin on
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Leaves from 12 fresh thyme leaves (I didn’t have any so used dried thyme)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Season the pork tenderloin well with salt and pepper. In an oven proof pan over medium high heat, put 1 table spoon olive oil and when the oil is shimmering sear the tenderloin until well browned. Turn the tenderloin to brown on all sides for about six minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the shallot and pears to the pan, sauté for 1 minute. Return the pork to the pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Scatter the thyme leaves in the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let the tenderloin rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices. 1/2 inch thick. Place on a platter and drizzle with the glaze from the pan. Serve immediately.