Think of this recipe as pork on pork with cherries. The flavors here, smoke, pork, and tart-sweet cherries, echo those of the fruity merlot grape. Have a glass of merlot while you cook this simple dish and suddenly any old weekday evening feels a lot more fun.
ingredients
directions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Pat dry the pork tenderloin and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then wrap with the bacon, overlapping the slices.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then brown the pork and shallots, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the pork tenderloin browned-side up and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the pork reaches 145ºF in the center, 15 to 18 minutes.
When the pork is done, transfer to a cutting board, leaving the shallots in the skillet. Add the cherries and stock to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Stir together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water, then add to the skillet, bring to a boil, whisking until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Slice the pork into 8 pieces, divide among 4 plates with the sauce, and sprinkle with dill, if desired.