Luscious Roasted Garlic with Pork Tenderloin

Roasting garlic is really a simple task and the results are always heavenly. Years ago I roasted several heads of garlic for a family meal and serve as a spread for fresh bread. My niece has never forgotten and it always tops the list of her special request even today.

Roasted garlic makes a tempting appetizer spread all by itself.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic

1 12 ounce Pork Tenderloin
5 Tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ Cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 Cup parsley lightly chopped
1 Whole Garlic, Medium Head
½ cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 325°. Mix the chopped parsley, salt, pepper and cheese together in a mixing bowl. Then rub the entire surface of pork tenderloin with oil on all sides and rub lightly with the parsley mixture.

Place in baking dish with 4 Tablespoons of oil and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a sharp knife, cut off approximately 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

Roast the garlic using a muffin pan. Place individual heads of garlic in each cup and drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head. Be sure the garlic is well coated with the olive oil. Seal the pan with a layer of aluminum foil. Bake at 45 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

Allow the garlic to cool slightly so it will not burn your fingers. Pick up the individual garlic cloves and using your fingers gently squeeze the rich roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. Blend together the roasted garlic and mayonnaise with the back side of a fork till mixed well.

Take the  pork from oven and and allow to stand for for 10 minutes before slicing. Place two slices of pork tenderloin on a plate a garnish with a dollop of garlic mixture and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Cooking Tip  If you are roasting garlic by itself the Culinary Institute of America textbook recommends 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Drizzle olive oil over the cut head of garlic and loosely wrap it in foil, and stick it in the oven until the cloves are soft.

The end results is outstanding and gratifying Roasted Garlic with Pork Tenderloin.