Mark Dommen

Sometimes it’s the intriguing supporting players—and not the headliner—that make a dish truly distinctive. For the Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin at One Market Restaurant, the main flavor profile begins with a dandelion persillade: blanched dandelion and mustard greens bound with roasted garlic cream. “Dandelions have that bitter edge that marries so well with garlic, as well as with bacon,” says Mark Dommen, Executive Chef/Partner of the upscale New American eatery. “To balance the bitterness, I added apple rings to provide sweetness. Salsify and a cider reduction finish the dish, tying it all together.”

The entrée has become a signature that returning guests request repeatedly, reports Dommen. Enticement lies in the union of well-known and less-familiar ingredients. “Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and apples are common, but pairing them with dandelion makes the dish a bit unusual,” he says. “The dish is also balanced. It has richness from the applewood-smoked bacon, bitterness from the dandelion and a fruity acidity from the apple, which makes it exciting to eat.”