Pork Tenderloin With Melon Salad Recipes

SPICE-RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH A MEDITERRANEAN GRAIN SALAD

Steps:

• Option 1: "Plain" but seasoned:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Season pork all over with 1 tsp. salt. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast, flipping pork halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 145°F for medium/medium-rare, 10-12 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board (reserve skillet if you're going for Option 3) and let rest at least 5 minutes. Slice into medallions. Meanwhile, toss grains with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and 3/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Fold in cucumbers and tomatoes, or serve them alongside.
• Option 2: A little more flavor:
• Before searing pork, add cumin, brown sugar, and 1 tsp. pepper to 1 tsp. salt. Rub all over pork, then follow cooking directions above. Fold lemon juice and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper into grain salad. Top salad with feta before serving.
• Option 3: Take it next level:
• After searing pork, drain excess fat from skillet and heat over medium. Add harissa and cook, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon, until bubbling and slightly browned, about 30 seconds. Pour in wine or broth, increase heat to high, and cook, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add butter, one piece at a time, whisking to incorporate after each addition until emulsified. Stir in lemon juice, if using (we especially like it with the chicken broth-based sauce); season with salt and pepper. Fold herbs and olives into grain salad. Divide pork and salad among plates and serve sauce alongside.

SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH COLLARD GREEN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Combine the chili powder, thyme, cayenne and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the pork with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the spice mixture. Transfer to the prepared pan and roast, turning once, until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest.
• Meanwhile, combine the collard greens, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Massage the greens with your hands until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Add the black-eyed peas, Peppadews, scallions, vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and black pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Toast the crumbled cornbread in a small dry nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with the collard greens. Sprinkle the toasted cornbread over the greens.

MELON SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Turn off heat and add shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, slice each shrimp in half lengthwise.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest and juice, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Halve the honeydew and watermelon, cut away from rind, and remove the seeds. Slice the melons into 1/8-inch-thick pieces. Remove the watermelon seeds (it's okay if the slices don't stay intact). Using a cake ring or a glass whose mouth is slightly smaller than a 14 to 16-ounce martini glass or champagne coupe, cut out 16 slices from the watermelon, and 16 slices from the honeydew. Save the best-looking 4 watermelon slices.
• Set out 4 (8 to 12-ounce) martini glasses or Champagne coupes.
• Layer 2 slices of watermelon and honeydew in each glass, lightly sprinkling each melon layer with the lemongrass dressing, chopped basil, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper. (You may need to trim the melon slices so they fit neatly into the glasses, which should be half-full at this point.) Divide the shrimp among the glasses, arranging them in concentric circles. Season the shrimp with the dressing, basil, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Add another layer of melon in the reverse order: honeydew, then watermelon, seasoning as before. Top each salad with a reserved watermelon slice, and sprinkle lightly with the dressing, basil, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 1 basil and 1 cilantro leaf. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (the melon and shrimp taste best when well chilled).

SPICY PORK TENDERLOIN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, chili powder and pepper; rub over pork. In a cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, brown pork on all sides in oil, about 8 minutes. Combine the brown sugar, garlic and hot pepper sauce; spread over pork., Bake at 350°, until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°, 25-35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes , before slicing. For vinaigrette, in a large bowl, combine juices, mustard, salt and pepper; gradually whisk in oil. Toss vinaigrette with spinach. Place spinach on serving platter; top with sliced pork. If desired, drizzle with pan juices.

PORK AND WATERMELON SALAD

Steps:

• Crosshatch pork belly skin with sharp knife, making cuts 1/2-inch apart. Place pork belly in non-reactive dish. Combine kecap manis, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice, and pour over pork belly. Chill for 24 to 48 hours, turning several times.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place belly, skin side up, in baking pan with 2 cups marinating liquid and 2 cups water. Liquid should come halfway up the pork; if not, add more water or use smaller pan. Cover pan with foil. Bake until a skewer penetrates the belly with little or no resistance, 3 to 4 hours. Remove pork from liquid and let cool. Leaving skin on, slice belly into 1-inch chunks.
• To make salad, cut watermelon flesh into 1-inch cubes (discarding seeds). Reserve rind. Refrigerate flesh until ready to use. With sharp knife, remove outer green skin of rind, reserving white part. Dice white rind into 1/2-inch cubes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine rice wine vinegar, shallots, chilies, kaffir lime, ginger, palm sugar, salt and 1 cup water, and bring to boil. Cook until sugar dissolves. Strain liquid over white rind. Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour or as long as 2 days.
• To make dressing, roughly crush palm sugar using a mortar and pestle or place in a plastic bag and crush with a hammer or heavy can. In a food processor, combine sugar with vinegar, lime juice, ginger, cilantro, garlic and salt, and blend until smooth.
• In medium saucepan or wok, heat 3 inches canola or peanut oil to 375 degrees. Lightly dust pork belly cubes with flour, shaking off excess. Working in batches, fry pork belly until dark golden brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt, if necessary.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the watermelon flesh with just enough dressing to coat. Divide pork among serving plates, and top with watermelon flesh and a few cubes of pickled rind. Drizzle additional dressing around plate. Garnish with scallions, coriander leaves, basil, and sesame seeds, if using.