Recipe Time: Peruvian Pork Tenderloin + Avocado Cilantro Sauce
This recipe is a go-to in my house, not only because it’s easy, flavorful and nutritious, but because it feels a little fancy when we have guests over.
Pork tenderloin is one of those elegant cuts of meat that’s surprisingly easy to prepare. For the rub, I use the Peruvian Chile Lime seasoning blend from Savory Spice Shop.
Paired with the Avocado Cilantro sauce, this meal explodes with flavor. I serve it with a green salad and rice or cauliflower rice.
If you already love avocado and cilantro, double this magical green sauce then proceed to eat it with everything — chicken, burgers, eggs or as a salad dressing or veggie dip.
Photo: Chicago Sun-Times
Ingredients
Pork tenderloin
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin (such as Niman Ranch)
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
1 T Peruvian Chile Lime blend (Savory Spice Shop). Or mix in a small bowl:
½ tsp. cumin, ½ tsp. chili powder, ¼ tsp. Mexican oregano, dash of dried cilantro, 1/8 tsp. turmeric and sea salt to taste.
Avocado-cilantro sauce (adapted from gimmedelicious.com)
1 avocado
1 clove garlic
1⁄4 C (or more) roughly chopped cilantro
1⁄4 C plain Greek yogurt or coconut cream
1 T lemon or lime juice
3 T olive oil
1⁄4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 T water
To use as a salad dressing, add more lemon or lime juice + olive oil, to taste, for a thinner consistency.
Photo: gimmedelicious.com
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a large sauté pan, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat. As the pan heats, pat the tenderloin dry, then sear it on all sides, until the meat just begins to brown.
Remove the pork from the pan to a parchment-lined baking sheet (or return it to the pan, if it’s oven safe). Once the pork cools enough to touch, rub on the spice blend, generously covering the meat on all sides.
Cook 25-30 min. or until the meat thermometer reaches 145° F.
While the pork is cooking, add your sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse until creamy. Taste and add salt or citrus if needed. Set aside.
Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest 10 min. Then carve it into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices and serve it with the sauce on the side.
Serves 3
