Tenderloin medallions with carrot “farofa” - updated post

It’s amazing how many people I’ve been in contact with since I discovered the delicious (yep, pun intended) foodblog world – and then started my own blog.
People who share the passion for food I have, people who understand the excitement of trying a new recipe, of cooking for family and friends, of tasting new ingredients for the first time.

One of these people is Terry, from Blue Kitchen – a blog you’ll get addicted to visiting, I can assure you.

Terry and I exchanged some e-mails after I wrote a comment on his blog about a very Brazilian dish - rice and beans. He said he would cook it – I crossed my fingers (and toes, as well, just in case) hoping we would like it.

He did like it and made a beautiful post about it!

Thanks, Terry! I loved your post and I’m very glad to be a part of your fantastic blog.

To keep on the Brazilian food theme, I’ll post a “farofa” recipe – click here to know more about farofa.

This is a bit different farofa, for the recipe calls for grated carrots – one way my grandmother found to make my brother eat at least one more kind of vegetable, besides French fries.

I used to cook this dish all the time when I was single and lived with my father and my brother – who still won’t eat anything green.
I still make it now because Joao loves it.
A simple side dish, quick to put together and that goes well with many things.

UPDATE: I make this farofa quite often, almost weekly during quarantine. It is delicious and also a family treasure. I have updated the recipe just to make it more like the version I make nowadays.

Tenderloin medallions with carrot “farofa”

4 tenderloin medallions
4 rashers of bacon
salt and cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Farofa:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped green olives
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
70g manioc flour


Season the medallions with salt and pepper.
Wrap each medallion with a rasher of bacon and secure it with a toothpick.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and grill the medallions to your liking.
Remove toothpicks and serve.
I served the medallions with the sauce found in this recipe.

For the farofa:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook,stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute only - do not let it burn or it will get bitter. Add the carrot, cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley and the olives and mix. Stir in the manioc flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve.

Serves 4 – or 2, depending on how hungry they are!