Pork on Mushroom Risotto with Maple Syrup

Maple syrup marinade

• 1 1/3 lb of pork tenderloin
• ½ cup of oil
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• ¼ cup of dry white wine
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon of dry thyme

Risotto with maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons (each) of olive oil and butter
• 8 oz. (225 g) of sliced mushrooms of your choice
• 1 onion and 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of Arborio risotto
• 1 ½ cups of chicken bouillon
• ¾ cup of dry white wine
• ¼ cup of maple syrup liqueur
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• ¼ cup of fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 tablespoons of maple butter
• 2 tablespoons of parsley, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Maple syrup marinade

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients. Season with pepper. Marinade the tenderloin while preparing the risotto, or longer.

Risotto with maple syrup

1. In a large casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the mushrooms and set aside.
2. In the same casserole, heat the remaining oil (2 tbsps.) and butter (2 tbsps.) and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat. Add the rice, stir well and cook until it becomes translucent, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chicken bouillon, wine, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium heat, for between 16 to 18 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaf and thyme spring. Add the Parmesan, maple butter and parsley. Mix well. Season. Add mushrooms.
4. Preheat the oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Meanwhile, remove the tenderloin from the marinade, dry, and sear over high heat in an ovenproof frying pan. Gently brown on both sides. Season. Place pan in the oven and continue cooking for about 12 minutes until the meat becomes pinkish in colour (pork is the tastiest and most tender when cooked to medium). To serve, slice and arrange on top of the risotto accompanied by a side of colourful vegetables.