Garlic mayo is a creamy sauce blending mayonnaise with minced garlic, often used to enhance various dishes.

Garlic Mayo

Fresh avocado with lime, cilantro, and onion.

Guacamole

Cerignola olives marinated in garlic rosemary olive oil

Olives

Full of plum, prune and fresh herb aromas, with a ripe, velvety mouth-feel

Chill the Primitivo to serving temperature: aim for 16–18°C (60–65°F). If the bottle is cooler, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes; if warmer, chill 15–20 minutes in the fridge. Use a wine thermometer if available.

Decant the wine if desired: open the bottle and pour into a decanter 20–30 minutes before serving to allow aromas of plum, prune and fresh herbs to open up and the wine to show its velvety mouth-feel.

Select glasses: serve in large-bowled red wine glasses (Bordeaux or standard red) to concentrate aromas. Pour 4–6 oz (120–180 ml) per glass.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix chopped rosemary, chopped thyme and minced garlic and press onto the surface of the pork so herbs adhere.

Prepare and season pork

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the pork 2–3 minutes per side until golden-brown on all sides to develop color.

Sear the pork

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast 12–18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F (63°C). Remove from oven, tent with foil and rest 8–10 minutes before slicing.

Roast to finish

While the pork roasts or rests, use the same skillet (careful if it’s hot) and place over medium heat. Add the chopped prunes and crushed San Marzano tomatoes, stirring 1 minute. Pour in 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 cup stock, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Add 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and simmer 6–8 minutes until the fruit softens and sauce reduces slightly.

Make plum-prune sauce

If you want a smoother, thicker sauce, dissolve 1 tsp cornstarch in 1 tsp cold water and whisk into the simmering sauce, stirring until glossy and slightly thickened (1–2 minutes). Remove from heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon butter to enrich and give a velvety mouth-feel. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Finish sauce

Slice the rested pork into medallions, spoon the plum-prune sauce over the top and transfer to plates. Pour the Primitivo into glasses and serve alongside; the wine’s plum and prune notes will echo the sauce while the wine’s herbal aromas complement the fresh rosemary and thyme.

Serve

Bring 3 cups water or milk and 1/2 tsp salt to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1 cup quick-cooking polenta. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, for 3–5 minutes until thickened and creamy.

Cook polenta

Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (if using) and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm until serving.

Finish polenta

Spoon a bed of polenta onto each plate and arrange pork medallions with sauce over the polenta. Serve immediately with the decanted Primitivo.

Plate

Bottle of Primitivo (Il Pumo, San Marzano)

Red wine decanter (optional)

Wine glasses (Bordeaux or standard red)

Wine thermometer (optional)

Pork tenderloin

Salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

Fresh rosemary, chopped

Fresh thyme, chopped

Garlic cloves, minced

Dried San Marzano plum tomatoes (or canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed)

Dried prunes, chopped

Dry red wine (use 1/2 cup from the bottle or substitute)

Chicken or beef stock

Balsamic vinegar

Butter

Cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Water (for dissolving cornstarch)

Quick-cooking polenta (cornmeal)

Water or milk

Parmesan, grated (optional)

Chopped parsley

Primitivo, Il Pumo, San Marzano - Italy

Make Primitivo, Il Pumo, San Marzano - Italy Recipe in just 55m. Full of plum, prune and fresh herb aromas, with a ripe, velvety mouth-feel

Primitivo, Il Pumo, San Marzano - Italy

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