If you are looking for a substantial appetizer, then look no further than these Dill Cured Pork Loin Crostini with Sweet Mustard Sauce!
This recipe lends itself to large quantities. The number of appetizers will depend on the size of your pork tenderloin. Based on a 12″ tenderloin you would get 48 1/4″ slices, so about 48 hors d’oeuvres.
Similarly, you will want to cut your baguette into 1/4 – 1/3″ slices slightly angled to increase the surface a bit. So most likely you will need 2 baguettes for a full batch of 48.
It doesn’t take a lot of work to make this but it does need 12 (6 + 6) hours to cure… so make ahead! Having said that – it is quite forgiving time-wise. You can leave it overnight before baking or after baking to make it fit your schedule. Another bonus if you are planning to serve this at a large gathering…you can make the crostini, pork and the mustard sauce the day before! Just don’t assemble until a few hours prior to serving.
You can make the mustard sauce the day before. It is delicious by the way. I have a friend who is not fond of mustard and even she liked this mustard sauce! I had prepared an alternate sour cream with fresh dill topping as well.
If you think of these as an open face sandwich they also make a great addition to a buffet table or a picnic. The tenderloin that sits on the crostini is dry and the mustard drizzle sits on top of the pork so these can go a few hours assembled without getting soggy.
Wine Pairing for Dill Cured Pork Crostini with Sweet Mustard Sauce
The savoury of the dill is a great match for a Sauvignon Blanc. Depending on how bold you like you wine you can choose from a bold, savoury Marlborough (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc. The other end of the spectrum is a French Sancerre where you get a more delicate, refined savoury along with a seam of minerality. And recently some great value South African Sauvignon Blancs have come onto our market offering a flavour profile in the middle between New Zealand and France.
On the red side – look for medium body and fruity. A GSM blend from the Rhone would be good or an Italian Primitivo would pair well here.
Dill Cured Pork Crostini with Sweet Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 12" pork tenderloin
- 2 Tbsps kosher or pickling salt
- 6 Tbsps sugar divided 2 +4 Tbsps
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 large clove garlic cut in half
- 7 Tbsps fresh chopped dill divided 6 + 1 Tbps
- 2 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- olive oil
- 16" baguette
Instructions
Cured Pork Tenderloin
- Mix the coarse salt, 2 Tbsps sugar and black pepper in a bowl. Position tenderloin on a generous piece of plastic wrap. Rub the tenderloin all over with the cut side of the garlic clove. Discard garlic.
- Pat the salt mixture over the pork, coating it completely. Press 6 Tbsps of the dill all over the pork. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap. Place tenderloin on a plate to catch any liquid and refrigerate at least 6 hours. (Can leave it up to 24 hours).
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove wrap from tenderloin. Brush off a bit of the dill, and dry the tenderloin by patting gently with a paper towel.
- Spray a baking pan and roast the pork to internal temperature of 150 degrees F. (About 25-30 minutes). Turn tenderloin half way through the roasting.
- Allow tenderloin to cool completely, then cover and chill at least another 6 hours (or overnight).
Crostini
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the baguette on a slight diagonal about 1/4-1/3" thick. Brush both sides with olive oil. Place on baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, turning slices halfway through. Allow crostini to cool completely. Crostini can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container on counter.
Sweet Mustard Sauce
- Stir white vinegar and the remaining 4 Tbsps sugar in a bowl until sugar dissolves. You can do 30 seconds in the microwave after stirring well to help sugar to dissolve. Whisk in the mustard and remaining Tbsp of dill. (Can be made a day ahead.)
Assembly
- Cut pork tenderloin into 1/4" thick slices. Place 1 slice of tenderloin on a crostini and drizzle with a bit of sweet mustard sauce. Can be assembled a couple of hours ahead and kept in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
excellent