PHOTO BY CHELSEA KYLE, PROP STYLING BY ALEX BRANNIAN, FOOD STYLING BY ANNA HAMPTON
When hosting a dinner party, I try to build menus that are simple, flavorful, and unique– but not too exotic. The fewer ingredients, the better! There is so much coordination making multiple dishes and timing it just right, so the easier the recipe is, the less stressed you’ll be in the kitchen. You should spend your evening enjoying your guests, not hovering over the stove.
So, when I came across Epicurious‘ Spring Grocery Bag Menu, featuring five easy dinners made from one bag of grocery ingredients, I knew I had found my Dinner Party Holy Grail!
The first Spring Grocery Bag recipe I tried was the Dill-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, served with farro, pea, and blistered tomato salad. The recipe was exactly what I was looking for: simple, flavorful, seasonal, and unique. It also helped that Epicurious readers gave this recipe 4 out of 4 Forks, and 100% said they would make it again.
Since there were no leftovers, I’ll have to agree with the Epicurious readers. This was a wonderful dish and I will definitely be making it again! I made a few substitutions, so you can go with the original or use my alternate recipe. I think they’ll both turn out great!
- YIELD
- Serves 5
- ACTIVE TIME
- 35 minutes
- TOTAL TIME
- 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill, divided
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups (loosely packed) arugula (about 3 ounces) [I used a spring mix]
- 2 cups cooked whole farro [I used cooked barley]
- 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed (about 4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup (loosely packed) crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix garlic, 2 Tbsp. dill, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl with a fork to create a paste. Pat pork tenderloin dry and rub with paste.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 10–12 minutes. Add tomatoes, then transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of pork registers 145°F and tomatoes are lightly blistered and softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl. Add arugula, farro, peas, feta, and remaining 3 Tbsp. dill and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest; toss well to combine (arugula will wilt slightly when dressed). Gently fold in roasted tomatoes.
Slice pork and transfer to a platter; season with sea salt, if using. Serve with farro salad alongside.
Do Ahead
Pork can be marinated 4 hours ahead; keep chilled. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
Bon appetit!
Last night I tried my hand at making pho tai (beef noodle soup) at home, and it was a pretty big success! To make it a bit healthier, I substituted Shirataki noodles for the rice noodles, which is what the recipe calls for. If you haven’t tried these noodles– they are uhhh-mazing because they are ZERO CALORIES! They also soak up the flavor of whatever you’re cooking them in, so they were perfect for the pho. You can buy them in the natural foods section of the grocery store, or click the image to the left to purchase online.
