Miso-glazed Pork Tenderloin

A quick and tasty recipe that'll have you thinking of Japan.

Ingredients

• 500g pork tenderloin
• 3tsp sesame seeds
• 5tbsp miso paste
• 1.5tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• Buckwheat noodles (soba)
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 1 sheet of dried seaweed (nori)
• Olive oil
• Ice

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 215°C (425°F).
2. In a bowl, mix the miso paste and soy sauce. Add the pork, then sprinkle the sesame seeds over the pork. Stir the pork around the bowl until the miso and soy mix coats the meat evenly. Leave the meat to marinade for 20 minutes.
3. Take the carrots and parsnip, and remove the skin. Chop the carrots and parsnip into 2-3" long sections. Depending on the thickness of both, you may want to boil the parsnip and/or carrots for 5-10 minutes to give them a head-start on the pork. I've usually found the carrots are okay as-is, but the parsnip definitely needs some pre-boiling before baking.
4. Take the nori sheet, and chop into 0.5-1cm x 4cm pieces. Place aside for use when serving.
5. Once the oven is up to temperature, place the pork on an oven tray, along with the length of carrot and parsnip. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the vegetables, and place the tray in the oven for about 20-25 minutes (for a 0.5kg pork tenderloin). Heavier or thicker pieces will probably need a bit more time.
6. Half-fill a saucepan with water, and bring to a steady boil.
7. After 10-15 minutes, turn the parsnips and carrots to ensure both sides get a crispy, blistered skin. If your oven has uneven heat, rotate the tray 180° and leave to cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Place the noodles in the boiling water, and leave to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. It's easy to overcook the noodles, and the heat in the noodles will continue to cook for another 30 seconds or so once the noodles are in the iced water. Stir regularly, and do not add any salt or oil to the water like you might for pasta.
9. While the noodles are cooking, prepare a small bowl or saucepan filled with water and ice. We'll use this later to cool the cooked soba just before serving.
10. Once the noodles are cooked, pour the boiling water and noodles out through a strainer, and give a couple of shakes in the strainer. Immediately add the noodles to the iced water, and stir continuously to take the heat out of the noodles. It may take 60-90 seconds for the noodles to cool down, so check the noodle temperature occasionally until they are cold to the touch. Once cold, immediately drain the noodles again.
11. Take the tray out of the oven once cooked, and let the pork rest for 3 minutes before carving. Chop the vegetables into 7mm-thick pieces.
12. Serve a portion of the soba into each bowl to serve as a base. Sprinkle the chopped nori and vegetables over the noodles. Carve the pork into 5mm-thick pieces, and lay a few pieces atop each bowl.
13. You're done. Serve and enjoy!