Bacon-Herb Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic, top sliced off
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 to 1 1/2 pound each) trimmed of excess fat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 12 1/4-inch thick slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place garlic in a small ramekin, drizzle with 1-tablespoon olive oil, and wrap in foil. Bake until soft, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic flesh from head into a small bowl.

Arrange tenderloins on work surface. Rub the top each tenderloin with 1/2 of the roasted garlic and season with salt and pepper. Mix together the herbs and scatter half of the mix over the garlic on each tenderloin. Wrap 6 strips of bacon around each tenderloin and tie bacon in place with kitchen twine.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat oil in a medium, skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloins until golden brown on all sides. Transfer seared tenderloins to medium roasting pan; place in the oven and cook to medium doneness about 8 to10 minutes. Transfer tenderloins to cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Remove twine before carving.

Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes:

• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
• 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine juice, sugar and zest in a small non-reactive pan and reduce to 1/2 cup. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss sweet potatoes in oil and roast in a large ovenproof skillet. Roast until lightly golden brown and just cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a burner over medium heat. Add the glaze to the potatoes and toss to coat evenly. Saute potatoes until all are glazed.