Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Wilted Salad and Pasta Pancake
Susan Spicer reaches into many cuisines and creatively combines elements from each. Here she uses many Asian ingredients with grilled pork tenderloins and angel hair pasta pancakes. Both the marinade and the vinaigrette could be spun off and used with other dishes.
Ingredients
- Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette
- Olive Oil - 1 Cup (alt peanut or canola oil)
- Lime - 1, zest and juice
- Ginger - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Red Wine Vinegar - 4 tablespoons
- Tomato - 1, ripe, pureed, strained, and reduced over medium-low heat to 3 teaspoons
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Chili Paste - 1 teaspoon
- Soy Sauce - 1 teaspoon
- Cilantro - 2 teaspoons, chopped, fresh
- Basil - 2 teaspoons, chopped, fresh
- Salt to taste
- Marinade
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Gingerroot - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Balsamic Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Indonesian Soy Sauce - 1/4 cup
- Olive Oil - 6 tablespoons (alt. peanut oil)
- Chili Paste - 1 teaspoon
- Lime - Juice from 1/2 lime
- Molasses - 1 tablespoon (alt. brown sugar)
- Sesame Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Pork Tenderloins - 2 (8 oz)
- Shiitake Mushrooms - 6-8 large, stemmed
- Pasta Pancake
- Angel Hair Pasta - 1/2 lb cooked, divided into 4 bundles
- Olive Oil - 4 teaspoons (alt. canola oil)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Wilted Salad
- Olive Oil - 2 teaspoons (alt. canola oil)
- Carrot - 1/2 cup, julienne strips
- Red Pepper - 1/2 cup, julienne strips
- Red Onion - 1/4 cup, cut into strips
- Shiitake Mushrooms - Strips
- Mixed Greens - 3 cups, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Green Onions - 1 cup, cut diagonally into long, thin strips
- Cucumber - 1/2 cup, sliced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Cilantro - 4 large sprigs
- Wonton Strips - 1 1/4 cups, fried (optional)
Instructions
To prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk all ingredients except the oil, herbs, and salt in a non-aluminum bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking continuously, until the dressing thickens. Stir in the fresh herbs and salt to taste. Cover and set aside.
To marinate the pork: Whisk all ingredients together in a non-aluminum bowl. Divide the marinade in half; put each half into a large zippered plastic bag. Add the tenderloins to the first bag, press out the air, and seal. Put the mushrooms in the second bag, press out the air, and seal. Let marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.
Prepare a grill for direct heat cooking: Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until covered with light grey ash. Or, light a gas grill according to manufacturer’s directions. Place the cooking grate on top and let it heat for a minute or two until hot.
Remove the mushrooms from the marinade and place in the grill. Cook until tender, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and slice into strips; set aside for the salad. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and place in the center of the cooking grate. Cook to 160 F internal temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning to brown all sides. While the pork is cooking, prepare the pasta pancakes and salad. When the pork is done, set aside on a plate to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
To prepare the pasta pancakes: Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small non-stick skillet until almost smoking. Place one bundle of pasta in the pan and flatten with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, then turn and finish on the other side. Repeat with the remaining pasta bundles. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the salad: In a medium non-stick skillet, heat the oil, then add the carrot, pepper, and onion strips and toss to coat. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add mushrooms and greens, toss, and cook for 1 minute. Add green onions, toss, and season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add the sliced cucumbers.
To serve: Place one pasta pancake on each of four warmed serving plates. Divide the salad into four and place a portion on top of each pancake. Whisk the dressing again and spoon around the pancakes. Slice the pork tenderloins diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick medallions and divide among the plates. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and fried wonton strips (optional).
