I created this recipe the other day and it has worked out magnificently two times now, so I thought I would share.

Lemon-Dijon-Wasabi Crusted Pork Tenderloin

(Note: I have gotten comfortable enough that I don’t exactly measure. I measure to taste.)

Preparing the crust -

Mix half a jar (approx. 2-3 tablespoons) of dijon mustard with half a tube (1-1.5 tablespoons) of wasabi. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Next, take a trimmed strip of pork tenderloin and massage it with extra virgin olive oil. I usually do this dish on busy nights since the prep time is very low. If you have more time, you can consider marinating it in Worcestershire sauce based marinade. Note the mixed crust waiting in the background.

In a smoking hot pan, sear the pork for 1-2 minutes per side, until you get a slightly golden color. Do not oversear or you will risk two crusts and a lack of adhesion on the wasabi-dijon.

In a pyrex dish, place the seared meat and spread the crust over the meat. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the bottom of the dish and then fill the rest with mushrooms.

If you prefer a loose crust as opposed to a crispy one, you can cover the pork with lemon slices. I have tried both ways and they are both incredibly tasty.

Place in a 190 degree Celsius oven. Cook for 30 minutes and check the meat. If it is not cooked to your liking, check again every 3-5 minutes until you achieve desired results. I cannot stress enough that you cannot overcook pork tenderloin and expect to enjoy it. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE MEAT.

The juice at the bottom of the pan (pork juices, run off of wasabi-dijon, remaining lemon juice) make a great topping to drizzle over the mushrooms and meat.

This evening we enjoyed our dish with a cheap cab sav and a tuna sashimi-avocado salad dressed with wasabi.

You can play up a lemon-pepper taste by added fresh black pepper corns into the mix. You can also substitute fresh horseradish for the wasabi. Finally, if you have time, you can dress the meat with a standard port wine reduction sauce that matches the strong lemon and wasabi flavors well.

Enjoy!