Description
This juicy pork tenderloin is marinated in a combination of cilantro, jalapeño and lime. The romesco sauce compliments the pork perfectly, and a cilantro-lime gremolata adds a bright, herbaceous bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pork:
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1.5lbs)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems (loosely packed)
- 1 jalapeño, chopped (remove seeds, if desired)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil (plus more for cooking)
- 1 tbsp light agave nectar or honey
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (plus more for cooking)
- ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper (plus more for cooking)
Romesco sauce:
- ½ cup Italian or French bread, crusted removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup almonds
- 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds and stems removed
- 1 medium plum tomato, sliced in half lengthwise, stem removed
- 2–3 cloves garlic, in skin
- 2–3 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (I used 3T)
- ½ tsp light agave nectar or honey
- 2 tsp sweet, smoked paprika
- 2 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Gremolata:
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Marinate pork: Combine cilantro through pepper in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Add pork and marinade to a large ziplock bag, and marinate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Toast bread & almonds: While pork is marinating, prepare the sauce. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange bread cubes and almonds on a baking sheet. Toast in the center of the oven for 5-8 minutes, or until almonds are fragrant and bread is dried out and golden, stirring half way through. Set aside.
- Broil vegetables: Preheat the broiler. Arrange peppers (cut side down), tomato (cut side up) and garlic on a baking sheet. Broil 2-3 minutes, flip garlic, and broil another 2-3 minutes or until softened and garlic skin is lightly browned. Set garlic aside. Rotate pan, and continue to broil tomato for 4-6 minutes or until softened and charred. Set aside. Broil peppers an additional 2-3 minutes or until all skin is well-charred.
- Peel & chop vegetables: Transfer peppers to a brown bag, seal and allow to steam for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, peel garlic, and peel and chop the tomato. Peel and chop peppers. Discard skins. Using a food processor, finely grind bread and almonds.
- Blend sauce: Add peppers, tomato, garlic, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, agave and spices. Blend until smooth. Stream in olive oil while blending, until incorporated. Taste and season with additional vinegar, salt and/or pepper, if desired. Refrigerate sauce until ready to use.
- Prep: Remove pork from fridge and allow to come to room temperate for 30-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Sear pork: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear pork for 2-3 minutes on the first side, or until well-browned, flip and sear another 1-2 minutes. Transfer pan to the center of the oven. Roast 8-12 minutes; or until the thickest part of the meat registers 135-140°F or desired level of doneness. Rest 10-15 minutes.
- Make gremolata & serve: While pork rests, mix all gremolata ingredients together in a small bowl. When ready to serve, slice pork into ½ inch thick slices. Serve with sauce and top with gremolata. Enjoy.
Notes
Total time does not reflect time needed to marinate pork.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Sear, Roast
- Cuisine: Spanish, New American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz pork & 2/3 cup sauce
- Calories: 566
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1008mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 41g
Keywords: pork tenderloin, pork, romesco sauce