Roast Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Rice and a Red Onion Salad

Fall back to school starts here at UGA tomorrow, and I’ve got an incredibly busy week ahead of me.  Being a realist, I know that I won’t feel like cooking after working a 12 or 13 hour day – and I’ll be less likely to want to do so after two or three or four of them.  Tonight, I wanted to cook a really filling, really satisfying meal to tide me over on some good eats until next week.  I had a few odd and ends left over from last week’s grocery trip, including a pork tenderloin, so I went about assembling a meal out of them.  It ended up doing exactly what I hoped.  I’m officially ready for the week.

Roast Pork Tenderloin

 

• 1 extra lean pork tenderloin
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of 1 orange
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds

Preheat oven to 450º.  Drizzle a baking dish with a little extra virgin olive oil, then place the pork tenderloin in the dish.  Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper, then rub the tenderloin down with oil.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Massage the spice rub into the tenderloin.  Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove, let rest for five minutes, and carve into slices.  

Serves 4.

Pineapple Rice

 

• 1 C rice
• 1 C chicken stock
• 1 C water
• 1 6 oz can pineapple tidbits, in 100% juice
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 T cilantro
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and chicken stock.  Cook rice according to package directions.  When done, fluff the rice.  Drain the pineapple, and reserve the juice for another use.  Stir in the pineapple tidbits, scallions, and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Serves 4.

Red Onion Salad

• 4 oranges, supremed
• 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 T chives
• 1 T basil
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T pine nuts
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a serving bowl, combine the oranges supremes, onion, chives and basil.  Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar, then toss to combine.  Sprinkle with pine nuts, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Serves 4.