Pork tenderloin cordon bleu

Name: Pork tenderloin cordon bleu
Ingredients: 600 g boneless pork tenderloin; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 100 g smoked pork belly; 120 g kashkaval cheese; 160 g flour; 2 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon dried mint; 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 180 ml ayran; 1000 ml oil for frying

Diverse - Pork tenderloin cordon bleu by Dochia N. - Recipia

Pork tenderloin cordon bleu stuffed with smoked pork belly and kashkaval cheese is deep-fried until golden, with a tender center. The batter, thinned with ayran and flavored with mint, basil, and paprika, wraps it in a fragrant crust, and the filling shows when you cut into it. I make the pockets wide so the slices of pork belly lie flat inside. Prep: 25 minutes. Cook: 22 minutes. Rest: 20 minutes. Total time: 67 minutes. Serves: 4. About 660 kcal and 47 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

600 g boneless pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
100 g smoked pork belly
120 g kashkaval cheese
160 g flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
180 ml ayran
1000 ml oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut the pork tenderloin into 4 pieces and make a cut along one side of each piece to form a pocket. Pound the meat until it is about 1 cm thick, then season it with salt and pepper. 2. Fill the pockets with the smoked pork belly and kashkaval cheese, secure the edges with toothpicks, and coat the pieces in 40 g of flour. Cover and chill for 20 minutes. 3. Beat the eggs with 120 g of flour, the mint, hot and sweet paprika, and the basil. Gradually pour in the ayran until you have a batter that runs off the whisk. 4. Heat the oil in a deep pot for 8 minutes, until it reaches 170-175°C. Dip the pieces in the batter and fry two at a time for 7 minutes per batch, until well browned and the meat is no longer pink inside.

Notes

I serve them with golden potatoes and green salad, like a schnitzel plate, except the filling is in the middle. The pieces of pork tenderloin should be about the same thickness, or the thinner ones will brown before the thicker ones. Smoked pork belly can be salty, so taste a slice before adjusting the salt on the meat. If you prepare the pockets ahead of time, keep them covered in the fridge until you fry them. The cooked pieces keep in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For a gluten-free version, replace the 160 g of flour with the same amount of gluten-free breading mix; keep the kashkaval cheese and eggs. Made with regular flour, the dish contains gluten, eggs, and dairy.