Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Biscuits and Gravy

Okay, this is kind of a cholesterol bomb...but this was one of my favorite breakfasts at John Hudspeth's long-gone Bridge Creek Restaurant in Berkeley.  Marion Cunningham was a friend of Hudspeth's and the menu and recipe consultant at Bridge Creek.  She included recipes for many of the dishes served there (including this one) in her The Breakfast Book cookbook. So I made breakfast for dinner.

Cream Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Slowly add the cream while stirring with a wooden spoon.  Once all the cream has been added, mix with your fingers until the dough comes together.  Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute.  Pat into a square about 1/2 inch thick.  But into 12 squares.  Dip each square into the melted butter and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes until nicely browned.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cream Gravy

1 pork tenderloin cut into twelve 3/4 inch thick medallions
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
3 T bacon fat

Blend together the flour and salt and pepper.  Melt the bacon fat in a 10-inch skillet.  Dredge the pork medallions in the flour, shaking off the excess.  When the fat is hot, add the pork.  Brown on both sides then turn down the heat and cook gently until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Remove to a heated plate and keep warm while making the gravy.

For the Gravy
1/4 cup bacon fat
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 cups half-and-half

Add the bacon fat to the fat left in the skillet used to cook the pork.  Scrape up the browned bits.  Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat.  Stir constantly to keep the flour from burning.  When the flour is nicely browned, slowly add the half-and-half.  Cook over low heat until the gravy is smooth and thickened.  Serve with the biscuits and pork medallions.