SPONSORED BY BAYONNE HAM
Celebrate Easter with this easy-to-put-together holiday meal starring a tender pork tenderloin wrapped with slices of Bayonne Ham (Jambon de Bayonne) and fresh spring asparagus with a creme fraiche vinaigrette.
Bayonne Ham is renowned for its exceptional flavor profile that elevates every dish it’s paired with. In this recipe, the ham provides a protective layer of savory fat to the lean muscle of the tenderloin, transforming into a crisp bacon-like coating that bastes the pork with flavorful juices as it cooks. Paired with fresh spring asparagus, it makes an ideal holiday meal.
Did you know The European Union recognizes Bayonne Ham with a Protected Designation of Origin? It’s still aged according to ancient traditions and preserved exclusively with the mineral-rich salt of the Salies-de-Bearn region, which produces a meltingly tender ham with flavors characterized by its distinctive terroir, and rich red color.
Bayonne Ham is produced according to ancient ancestral methods, and the pigs are born and raised in South-West France while being fed an exclusive corn-based diet. The hams are cured with salt from Salies-de-Béarn springs and then air-dried and aged in the Adour Basin, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenean mountains. The finished Jambon de Bayonne hams are renowned for their distinctive taste and exceptional quality. Print
Bayonne Ham-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus with Créme Fraîche
Ingredients
For the pork tenderloin
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 8 slices Bayonne Ham (about 4 ounces)
For the asparagus
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed at the bottom
- 3 tablespoons creme fraiche
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (we use Maldon)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the pork tenderloin
- Combine the rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir in the olive oil.
- Brush the oil mixture all over the pork tenderloin.
- Lay the slices of Bayonne Ham on a sheet of parchment paper so that they are overlapping each other by about a half-inch.
- Lay the pork tenderloin at the bottom of the sheet, and then roll the paper around the meat. Remove the parchment—the meat should be tightly wrapped with the Bayonne Ham.
- Put the tenderloin onto a rack (we use a cookie cooling rack) over a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 140°degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the meat roast.
- Remove from the pork oven and let rest for ten minutes. Slice into one-inch rounds and serve.
For the asparagus
- Stir the creme fraiche, lemon juice and salt together until smooth.
- Add 1 inch of water to a large skillet and bring to a boil. Add asparagus, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus), until tender when poked with the tip of a knife.
- Remove asparagus from skillet and arrange on a platter. Spoon the creme fraiche mixture over top and garnish with the chives, sea salt and black pepper.
