Directions:

Early in the day prep the pork by combining the olive oil, Herbes de Provence, sea salt, garlic and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub mixture liberally over tenderloin to coat all surfaces. Wrap meat in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. This can be done 6-8 hour in advance. Remove from refrigerator about ½ hour before cooking.

Rinse lentils under cold running water and look over them carefully, discarding any bits of stone or debris.

Combine lentils with onion half and bay leaves in a medium sauce pan. Add the 2 cups of chicken stock. Simmer, uncovered until lentils are cooked and liquid has mostly evaporated, about 20-30 minutes.  Check lentils at this point and make sure they're tender. If not, had a bit more chicken broth, cover pan and cook for about 5 more minutes over low heat. Remove and discard onion and bay leaves.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat until golden and crispy. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Increase heat to medium high.

Add the pork and sear, cooking until browned on all sides. Remove tenderloin from the skillet and place into an oven-safe dish. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads about 145-150˚F, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and tent with foil for 5 minutes before slicing.

If you decide to grill your pork, skip step 5 and see note below.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the cooking fat leaving any browned bits in the pan. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and add the diced carrots, celery, onion and the minced garlic. Gently sweat for a few minutes.

Add the wine and continue cooking until most of the wine has cooked off, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, lentils and reserved bacon. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce until liquid reaches a light sauce consistency.

To finish, gently stir in parsley and thyme. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Add a bit more chicken stock if lentils become too dry - you want them a bit soupy. Serve in shallow bowls with sliced pork and mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with a bit more chopped herbs for garnish, if desired.

Serves 4