Pork Tenderloin with Burgundy Peppercorn Sauce

The market continues its steady climb. I had 3 showings this week and 1 offers. My reputation precedes me now — the Greek agent who tells the truth about roofs and brings food to open houses. Worse reputations exist.

Alexander called from USF this week. He is doing well and building a life with the quiet competence of a young man who watched his mother rebuild from nothing and decided that building is what Papadopouloses do. He still does not call Yia-yia enough. He never will.

Mama is 85 and still at the bakery at 4 AM. I do not know how much longer she will do this. I do not ask. You do not ask Voula Papadopoulos about endings. You stand next to her and roll phyllo and trust that the beginning continues as long as the hands are moving.

I made baked fish with tomatoes and olives — the fish sitting in a bath of cherry tomatoes, Kalamatas, and olive oil, roasted until fragrant. We ate at the kitchen table, just the two of us, and for a moment the house was not quiet or loud — it was exactly right. Full. Fed. The sound of forks on plates is the sound I love most in this world.

The olive oil in my kitchen is from a Greek import shop in Tampa that sources from Kalamata. It is expensive. It is worth it. I use it on everything — salads, fish, bread, vegetables, the edge of a pot of soup — because olive oil is not a condiment in this family, it is a philosophy. Use it generously. Use it without apology. Use it the way you use love: poured freely, never measured, always more than you think you need.

That night with the fish and the Kalamatas and just the two of us at the table — that is the dinner I will remember. But there is another dish I return to when I want that same feeling of intention, of a meal that says I made this for you, and I meant it: a pork tenderloin in a Burgundy peppercorn sauce, deeply savory, the kind of thing that makes a weeknight feel like an occasion worth dressing for. It does not require much. It requires care, which is a different thing entirely and the only thing I have ever known how to cook with.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 shallots, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
3/4 cup Burgundy or dry red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with salt and cracked black pepper.
Sear the tenderloin. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tenderloin and sear, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 4–5 minutes total.
Roast to finish. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 15–18 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 145°F. Remove the pork to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Build the sauce. Return the skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed peppercorns and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Deglaze with wine. Pour in the Burgundy wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
Finish the sauce. Add the beef broth and let it reduce by half again, another 2–3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter, and season with salt to taste.
Slice and serve. Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions and arrange on a platter or plates. Spoon the Burgundy peppercorn sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pork Tenderloin with Burgundy Peppercorn Sauce — Another Table Worth Setting