Pork Tenderloin Fillets: Solomillo de Cerdo Filets

Photo credit: National Pork Board
I had to make a quick lunch today so I ran out to the local self-service grocery and picked up

• A bag of salad (fancy mix)
• 700 grams (1,5#) of pork tenderloin [I had the butcher trim it and cut it in thick {1cm <1/2">} fillets]
  
• a bag of peanuts (not for the recipe; just for me to snack on)

Ingredients:

• 700 gr pork tenderloin fillets
• 4 T olive oil (virgin)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 chili pepper (Szechuan) (really important)
• 50 grams (2oz) cured ham; chopped (not as in bacon; which is smoked)
• 3 T Dijon mustard
  

Procedure:

1. Turn oven to 175C (350F)
• Find an ovenproof dish for the meat
  
2. Frying pan; put in the oil; medium heat
   
3. Smash/flatten the garlic and toss it in
4. De-seed the pepper and toss it in
5. Fry these two up until the garlic is browned; basically you're flavouring the oil
6. Pour the oil/garlic/pepper off into the ovenproof dish
7. Put ham in the frying pan
• fry slightly; just to caramelize the outside a bit (for extra flavor)
• add this to the ovenproof dish
  
8. Add the Dijon mustard too
   
9. Stir it around with a fork or a small whisk (it doesn't have to be very smooth)
10. Lay in the fillets; coating both sides (go ahead, be messy)
11. Roast for 15 minutes
• Turn off the oven and leave in there for 10 more
• To an internal temperature of 55C or so (130F)
  

Notes:

1. We still mostly have butchers in the shops that cut the meat to order although prepackaged meat has been showing up in the last few years
2. When in doubt I always use 175C (350F) as an oven temp; although roasting can generally be done lower
   
3. I used bits of Serrano ham I had lying around; you might use that Italian ham I'm always forgetting the name of
4. Americans might to cook for 15 minutes a pound to an internal temperature of (at least) 160F (this is according to U.S. government recommendations and is guaranteed to remove any trace of flavor from the meat)
   

Short Version:

1. Flavor oil by frying some garlic and chili pepper; reserve
   
2. Fry up a little bacon
   
3. Mix in some Dijon mustard
4. Coat the pork tenderloin fillets
5. Roast at 175C for 15 minutes & let stand for 10 more (in the oven, door ajar)

Ta da