Pork with a fresh take on salsa-grilled cherries

By this point in the summer, I've had about all the burgers, dogs and birds I can handle. It's time to try something a little different on the grill.

And one thing most of us don't do nearly enough of — grilled fruit. Not only is grilled fruit crazy delicious — thanks to the intense heat caramelizing all the natural sugars — it also pairs perfectly with savory meats.

So to help us all get out of our late summer grilling ruts, I came up with this easy recipe for pork tenderloin cutlets topped with grilled cherry salsa. 



And if cherries aren't your thing, feel free to substitute apricots, plums, nectarines, even grapes. They all grill up deliciously. For the grapes, just leave them right on the vine and toss them on the grill the way they are. That way you won't need to chase rolling grapes around on the grill. They are easily removed from the vine after they cool.




PORK TENDERLOIN CUTLETS WITH GRILLED CHERRY SALSA


Before starting the recipe, compare the size of your cherries to the size of the grates on your grill. If the cherries are likely to fall through the gaps, use a grill pan over the grates. Most grocers sell disposable perforated foil grill pans that work perfectly for this.

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

2 pounds pork tenderloins

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the tenderloin crosswise into rounds about 1 inch thick. One at a time, set each round between sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Transfer the flattened pork cutlets to a large zip-close plastic bag. Add the fish sauce, then shake to coat all of the pork. Squeeze the air from the bag, seal it and set side. This step can be done up to 24 hours ahead.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to high.

In a medium bowl, toss the cherries with 1 tablespoon of the oil until well coated. Carefully pour the cherries onto the grill grates and grill until lightly charred in spots and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to return the cherries to the bowl. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave the grill on.

Once the cherries have cooled, add the onion, garlic, vinegar and cilantro. Mix well, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the bag of pork, then shake to coat. Grill the tenderloins for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Arrange the cutlets on 6 serving plates, then top each with some of the grilled cherry salsa.

Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories; 70 calories from fat (29 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 100 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 32 g protein; 590 mg sodium.

source: philstar.com

Pork Loin Roast with Fennel-Garlic Rub

Try a heritage Berkshire pork loin rack for great flavor and tenderness. If you are lucky enough to have a pork vendor at your local farmers market you can buy it there (you might want to order it in advance) or it can be mail ordered from www.heritprairiepridefarmminnesota.foodoro.com. Many butchers can cut a loin rack for you as well. Commercially, the loin rack is cut into pork chops but if you call ahead they can cut a roast for you.














 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 6 pound bone-in pork loin roast
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

EQUIPMENT:

• a coffee/spice grinder; an instant read thermometer

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare the Rub:

• Mince and mash garlic, salt, and thyme to make a paste with a large heavy knife and transfer to a small bowl.
• Grind fennel seeds and peppercorns in spice grinder until finely ground and stir into garlic paste.
• Rub paste all over meat and fat side of roast, pressing to adhere. Place, fat side up, in a small roasting pan or a (13- by 9-inch) baking pan and marinate in the fridge, loosely covered, for at least to 2 and up to 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting.

Roast the Pork Loin:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put roast in a small roasting pan fat side up (if it isn't in roasting pan already) and pour wine and water into bottom of pan.
• Roast pork in middle of oven (or lower third if making whole menu) until an instant read thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 140°F, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• Remove roast from oven and let rest, loosely covered with foil, in roasting pan 25 to 30 minutes (internal temperature will go up 10 degrees while meat is resting).
• Transfer the roast to a cutting board, and using a long knife, cut meat from bone in one piece. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices, keeping slices together.
• Transfer the bones to a large serving platter and arrange meat on the bone.
• Heat juices in roasting pan until bubbling, then add butter and whisk into pan until incorporated.
• Serve sauce alongside meat.
   
  source:  gourmet.com