Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Saturday night, I decided that enough is enough and it was time to finally make the "New Years Day Pork Roast" that we never got around to making due to travel. So, Happy New Year (...22 days late)!!!

It has become a tradition in our house to make some sort of pork roast every January 1st. My family used to do it, so I figured that we would do it too! I usually make it with sauerkraut and apples, but thought I would change things up a bit this time. I didn't have any sauerkraut, so I made mustard greens as a side along with mashed potatoes. Who  knew mustard greens were also a new years tradition! A little history behind why:

Pork    

The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast suckling pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria—Austrians are also known to decorate the table with miniature pigs made of marzipan. Different pork dishes such as pig's feet are enjoyed in Sweden while Germans feast on roast pork and sausages. Pork is also consumed in Italy and the United States, where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity.

Greens

Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, the Germans consume sauerkraut (cabbage) while in the southern United States, collards are the green of choice. It's widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger one's fortune next year.

As you may or may not know, I am obsessed with using dijon mustard in ALMOST everything, so I came up with this recipe!! Since there were absolutely ZERO left overs, I think it was a hit!
Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
1 2-3 pound boneless pork roast
2 tablespoons butter
parsley
garlic salt
ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, being careful not to burn.
3. Season pork roast on all sides with garlic salt, parsley, and ground pepper. Place in dutch oven, and brown all sides of meat, about 2 minutes each side.
4. Turn off heat. Pour chicken broth around the pork roast, to release the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This will also serve as a source of steam when baking the roast.
5. Place roast in oven, covered. Reduce heat to 250 degrees, and bake for 1.5 hours.
6. Meanwhile, whisk apple cider vinegar, mustard, and honey together to make the vinaigrette. Set aside.
6. Remove from oven, transfer to serving platter, cover in foil and let sit for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
7. Slice, and serve with honey dijon vinaigrette.

*the juices from the pan also make for a great gravy. We used it on mashed potatoes!