Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Blue Cheese Polenta

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz cheese blue crumbled
• 1 cup cooking wine dry red
• 12  firm-ripe figs rinsed ends trimmed halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 0.5 teaspoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon orange peel grated
• 4 servings bell pepper 
• 1 cup coarse polenta 
• 1 lb pork tenderloin 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 3  thyme sprigs rinsed

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• kitchen thermometer

Directions

1. Rinse pork and pat dry; trim and discard fat and any silvery membrane from tenderloin.
2. Sprinkle meat lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch nonstick, ovenproof frying pan over high heat, tilting pan to coat bottom; when oil is hot, add tenderloin and turn as needed to brown on all sides, about 4 minutes total.
4. Remove from heat; arrange figs and thyme sprigs around pork.
5. Transfer pan with pork to a 400 regular or convection oven; bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part of meat reaches 155, 18 to 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a 4- to 6-quart pan, combine polenta, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 1/2 cups water. Stir over high heat until mixture boils; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until polenta is smooth to taste, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup blue cheese; add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
8. Transfer tenderloin and figs to a rimmed platter and let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes.
9. Add wine, honey, and orange peel to unwashed frying pan. Boil over high heat, stirring to release browned bits, until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4 to 5 minutes.
10. Remove and discard thyme sprigs.
11. Slice pork diagonally across the grain 1/2 inch thick. Spoon polenta mixture equally onto four dinner plates. Arrange pork and figs over polenta; spoon sauce equally over pork and figs. Top with more blue cheese if desired.