Mustard-Crusted Pork with Carrots and Lentils

There are times when I am very impressed with my culinary prowess. Okay, it's just me putting a few spins on a recipe created by someone else, but I do get excited when that recipe exceeds my expectations and I can add it to my repertoire. This happened this evening when I tried a recipe in the November issue of Gourmet magazine for mustard-crusted pork with carrots and lentils.

The recipe is pasted below and I did make a few minor adjustments. First, I substituted cooking spray when roasting the carrots and as a result, needed some more liquid when adding the pork loin to the roasting pan, so I added a bit of chicken broth.

I also used dried lentils, therefore, had to use a lot of chicken broth to get the lentils to the perfect consistency. I also cooked the lentils in the pan used to sear the pork. I'm sure purists may say this is a cross-contamination no-no but I was feeling adventurous and it added some additional flavor to the lentils. If you are in a time crunch, you might want to use canned lentils, as outlined below. I also jacked up the seasonings all around.

1 pound pre-cut fresh carrot sticks

5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 (15-ounce) cans lentils, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a shallow baking pan and roast while preparing pork.

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown pork all over, about 3 minutes total. Put pork on a work surface and brush with 1 tablespoon mustard. Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 tablespoon oil, then press onto mustard on pork to form a crust. Transfer pork to pan with carrots and roast until carrots are browned and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 140 to 145°F, 15 to 22 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes; keep carrots warm, covered (or continue roasting if needed).

While pork roasts, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil with garlic and thyme in a small saucepan until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lentils, broth, and remaining tablespoon mustard and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and discard thyme. Serve pork with carrots and lentils.

This is a hearty, sophisticated but easy meal that can be prepared in a flash for a weeknight meal. I enjoyed my meal with a medium bodied glass of Duo Mythique, a syrah grenache blend which really brought out the earthiness of the lentils and carrots. Magnifique!