Take the smoked bacon and cut it into small, even pieces. Chop the red kapia pepper into small, uniform pieces. And chop your onion into small pieces and mince the two cloves of garlic.
Take the chestnut mushrooms and slice them. Chop the fresh parsley.
Take the pork tenderloin and slice it into 1-inch thick medallions. Lay the medallions on a cutting board and season both sides evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place the seasoned pork medallions in the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes on the first side until they have a beautiful golden-brown sear.
Flip the pork medallions and fry them for another 1-2 minutes on the other side until they are golden brown. Remove the slices from the pan and place them on a plate.
In the same pan add the cut smoked bacon. Fry it over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's crispy and has rendered its fat.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté them for about one minute, stirring constantly, until the onion softens and the garlic becomes fragrant.
Now, add the chopped red pepper to the pan and sauté it for 1-2 minutes until it begins to soften.
Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper,1.5 teaspoon onion granules, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Stir everything together to combine the flavors.
Next, add the sliced mushrooms to the pan with the vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture and soften.
Pour 50 ml of water into the pan, stirring to incorporate it. Next, add the 150 ml of double cream.
Once the sauce is simmering gently, place the seared pork medallions back into the pan, nestled in the sauce. Put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add the chopped fresh parsley to the pan and gently stir it into the sauce.
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Notes
When you're searing the pork medallions, make sure they are in a single layer with a little space between them.Don't Burn the Garlic! Garlic cooks very quickly. Add it to the pan after the onion and stir constantly for just about a minute. Burnt garlic can make the whole dish taste bitter.The goal of the initial frying is not to cook the pork through, but to create a nice sear and lock in the juices. The pork will finish cooking in the sauce, so a quick 1-2 minute sear on each side is all you need.This recipe works beautifully with other proteins. You can substitute the pork tenderloin with boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs.