Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Prepare the meat and oven
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Pat the tenderloin dry, remove any silverskin, and rub it with 5 g of salt, the black pepper, and the thyme leaves. Finely chop the shallot.
Cook the polenta
In a saucepan, bring the water and milk with 2 g of salt to just below a boil. Slowly sprinkle in the polenta while whisking constantly, reduce the heat, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan.
Sear and finish cooking the tenderloin
Heat 15 ml of oil in an oven-safe pan. Sear the tenderloin on all sides, for about 2 minutes on each of the larger sides, until a golden-brown crust forms. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 8 to 12 minutes, until the thickest part of the meat reaches 63 to 65 °C. Transfer the meat to a plate and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.
Finish the sour cherry sauce
Add the shallot to the same pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and balsamic vinegar, then add the cherries and honey. Simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and the cherries have softened but still hold their shape. Season with the remaining 1 g of salt.
Wilt the spinach and serve
Heat the remaining 5 ml of oil in a small pan. Add the spinach and the remaining 1 g of salt, stir, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted. Slice the tenderloin. Divide the polenta, spinach, and meat among plates, then spoon over the sour cherry sauce.
