Pork Tenderloin with Garlicky Sauce, Mushrooms, and Crispy Potatoes (Raxo Inspired)
umami, tender, satisfying
One of my favorite Galician dishes has to be Raxo. It’s a traditional stew made with pork, typically simmered with garlic, white wine, and a combination of aromatic and spices. It’s rustic, yet incredibly flavorful. You will find Raxo at every Galician restaurant.
This is a different take on the classic Raxo. While Raxo is typically served with potatoes, I like to add some during the simmering of the pork tenderloin to coat them in the garlicky sauce for extra texture and flavor. I also add shiitake mushrooms, which is certainly not traditional. I find the mushrooms compliment the pork and garlic sauce incredibly well — I mean, they do taste their best when surrounded by garlic after all.
I serve the stewed pork and all its goodness over a bed of crispy potatoes — you then have the contrast of the crispy potato and the saucy, softer potato that was added previously to the pork. There really aren’t many pork dishes that could beat this one.
Video recipe linked here
INGREDIENTS (4 Servings)
1.5lbs (680g) pork tenderloin, cut into big cubes
14oz (400g) yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into small, bite size cubes
1 small shallot, finely diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
6oz (170g) shiitake mushrooms, cut in half
1 rosemary sprig, stem removed and leaves very finely diced
4 tablespoons white wine
¾ cup (175ml) beef or chicken stock
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 cups olive oil (potentially more or less, depending on the size of your pot)
Chives, finely chopped for garnish)
Black pepper
Kosher salt
METHOD
Cut the pork tenderloin into big chunks. Add them to a large bowl and generously season with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the bowl in the fridge until the pork is ready to be cooked. For best results, I like to start this process a few hours before I cook the meal, but you can do it just 30 minutes before as well
Fry the cubed potatoes. In a pot or dutch oven, add the olive oil and turn the heat on to high. There should be enough olive oil to cover three fourths of the potatoes (no need to deep fry). When oil is very hot, add the cubed potatoes. To test if the oil is hot enough, I add one small piece of potato and if it splatters and starts to fry very quickly, it’s ready. Fry the potatoes until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
When the potatoes are ready, place them in a single layer over a bed of paper towels. Immediately sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt over the potatoes
Carefully set aside one tablespoon of the olive oil that remains in the pot. Discard the rest of the olive oil and lightly wipe the pot clean with a paper towel. Return the pot to the stove and add the tablespoon of olive oil you reserved earlier. Turn heat on to high, and when the oil is hot add the pork chunks. Sear on all sides until a deep golden crust is formed, about 2-3 minutes per side. When seared, remove the pork chunks from the stove. They shouldn't be cooked all the way through, as they will finish cooking later when we reintroduce them to the pot
Add the diced shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until translucent
Add the diced shiitake mushrooms, the minced garlic, and the diced rosemary. Cook for 30 seconds
Reintroduce the pork to the pot, and immediately add the white wine and stir for about 1 minute or until the wine is fully evaporated
Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch with one tablespoon of water in a small ramekin. Mix well to create a cornstarch slurry
When the wine has evaporated, add the beef or chicken stock, the cornstarch slurry, and the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 7-10 minutes or until the pork is fully cooked
Whe pork is fully cooked, add half of the fried potatoes. Stir to combine
Place the other half of the cubed potatoes in a serving plate. Then, spoon the pork and sauce over the potatoes. Serve family style.