Roasted and Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Seared Grits Cakes and Peppery Salad

This pork tenderloin recipe is an homage to my dad's barbecue sauce recipe in that it contains mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and onion, etc. I've traded prepared yellow mustard for whole grain (country) dijon, added a couple extra seasonings, splashed in a little tarragon vinegar (optional), and swapped the rack of ribs for the tenderloin. When push comes to shove, however, it's still South Carolina's mustard-based barbecue. This version just takes a couple more steps - marinated in the fridge, roasted in the oven, and finished on the grill - and employs a thin lacquer for basting rather than the traditional syrupy stuff brushed on ribs. The grits, too, are a touch more complicated than the old "boiling water and salt" method, though their preparation is equally straightforward, though far more rewarding. And, rather than a pool (or clump, depending on your grits styling), the grits are cooked, cooled in a pan to firm up, cut into cakes, and then sauteed briefly, rendering a crisp outer and creamy inner. Finally, the "peppery salad" contains no actual peppers but is composed of arugula and tomatoes with a spicy ground pistachio vinaigrette.

Pork Tenderloin

1 large pork tenderloin

1 small onion, finely minced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

juice of 1 lemon

1 c. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar (optional)

2/3 c. dark brown sugar

3 tbsp. whole grain (country) dijon mustard

1 tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 jalapeno or serrano chile, finely chopped (with seeds)

~1 tbsp. ground black pepper

Finely dice the onion and garlic and place in a large bowl.

Roll a lemon on the counter to break its internal

structure (allowing the release of more juice), slice, and squeeze. Next, add the dijon.

Combine 2/3 c. dark brown sugar, the vinegars, the herbs and spices, the oil, and the jalapeno/serrano.

Add ~1 tbsp. ground black pepper and stir. Thoroughly rinse the tenderloin, place in a large (freezer size) Ziploc bag, add the marinade, remove air, and seal. Marinate for at least several hours if not overnight.

After marinating, roast in a 350 degree oven until an internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached. Optimal temperature for pork is 155-160 and the last ten or so degrees will be achieved on the grill.

Obviously, this tenderloin has a ways to go, but finishes nicely on the grill. It's then sliced against the grain into ~1/8 inch slices before plating.

Grits Cakes

2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock

1 cup milk

2 tbsp. plus 1 tbsp. unsalted sweet cream butter, divided

1 cup stone ground

1/3 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil for pan frying

cornmeal for dusting

salt as needed

Starting with good stone ground grits, bring 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup milk to a boil. Combine oregano, pepper, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and 2 tbsp. butter. Add grits slowly, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, for around twenty minutes. Add half-and-half and continue cooking until grits are thick, finally adding grated parmigiano reggiano. If they're loose, they won't form into a solid block when cooled, rendering the grits cake making process messy if not undoable.

Once the grits have cooked, pour them into a (9x9") pan lined with plastic wrap and misted with a little cooking spray to aid release. Chill in the refrigerator an hour or more (or until cooled completely and firm).

Cut the cakes into four equal pieces (squares), dust generously with cornmeal, and sear in a hot pan with olive oil and remaining 1 tbsp. butter, turning once. The result is a crispy cornbread-like taste on the outside with creamy grits on the inside.

Peppery Salad with Ground Pistachio Vinaigrette

arugula

one tomato, sliced longways into wedges

1/4 cup pistachios, ground

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. whole grain (country) dijon

1 shallot, finely minced

1/8 cup olive oil (optional - the pistachios contain fat)

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

Start by shelling and grinding the pistachios in a food processor. Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously.

If picking arugula, choose the outer tender leaves, leaving the inner to carry on photosynthesis (so your plant doesn't die). In either case, wash carefully and remove any lower ribs that feel tough.

Arrange the leaves on the plate with tomatoes, pipe dressing over and around.

Plating here could be far more dramatic, but it was late and I was tired, so it came out looking like something you'd get at a "meat and three" (or two, I guess). At any rate, the pleasure is mostly in the eating, and this all tastes wonderful, even if it looks a touch pedestrian.