SPINACH AND BASIL-STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN

Spinach and Basil-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin image

A fancy entrée for six, finished in an hour!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories Entree

Time 1h

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, well drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh or 4 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
2 pork tenderloins (1 1/2 lb)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

Steps:

Heat oven to 375°F. In 8-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 minced clove of garlic; cook and stir 30 to 60 seconds or until garlic is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining stuffing ingredients.
Butterfly each pork tenderloin by making lengthwise cut 3/4 of the way through, being careful not to cut tenderloin into 2 pieces. Open each tenderloin and lay flat. If desired, sprinkle cut sides of each with salt and pepper.
Spread stuffing evenly over cut side of 1 tenderloin. Place second tenderloin, cut side down, over stuffing (to ensure even cooking, place wide end of 1 tenderloin at narrow end of the other). Tie at intervals with cotton string.
In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon oil, 1 minced clove of garlic and the fennel seed. Brush tenderloin with oil mixture; place on rack in shallow roasting pan.
Bake uncovered 35 to 45 minutes or until pork has slight blush of pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of pork reads 160°F. Remove string before cutting into slices.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 210, Carbohydrate 2 g, Cholesterol 105 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 1 g, Protein 28 g, SaturatedFat 2 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 180 mg, Sugar 0 g, TransFat 0 g