This salad is the perfect dish to ease us into spring. The dry rubbed tenderloin is seared and then topped with a brown sugar tabasco glaze which is roasted. You can serve it in winter with couscous or in spring and summer on top of a salad. There is a hint of curry flavor in the lime dressing that is so good I always make a double batch; rarely is there enough left for a salad the next night. Every time I serve this someone asks for the recipe—it is that good. Oh, and did I mention how easy it is to make?

Dry Rub:

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• one pork tenderloin

Pork Glaze:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• ½ cup dark brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon tabasco

Salad:

• 2 navel oranges peeled and sliced in rounds about ¼” thick

• 2 avocados peeled and sliced 

• 1 red bell pepper sliced into thin strips

• 2 heads of lettuce ( I like to mix butter and red leaf for texture and color)

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ cup olive oil

Wash and dry the pork tenderloin. Combine all the spices in a small bowl and then sprinkle the spices over the tenderloin, turning it as you go so that the meat is completely covered in all the spice. Let meat rest on a plate while you make the other parts of the salad. Next combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until blended.

Preheat oven to 350°

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat— add pork turning to brown all sides, about 3-4 minutes a side. Leave the pork in the skillet and turn off the heat. Now make the pork glaze in a medium bowl combine the sugar, garlic and tabasco. Using your hands press the mixture all over the pork. Some will fall off into the pan—that is fine. Now place the skillet on a rack in the middle of the preheated oven. Cook for 35 minutes (I like my pork medium). If you want it slightly pink take it out after 25 minutes. Let the tenderloin rest in the pan. Now cut up your veggies and wash your lettuce and evenly divide them onto four plates. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and slice 1” pieces and evenly distribute them on the plates. Drizzle a little dressing over the salad and put the rest on the table so your guests can help themselves. The dressing is very popular and I often make a double batch.

This recipe can easily be doubled. As a variation in the winter, I make this pork with couscous and a vegetable. No lettuce, oranges, or avocados but still using the dressing as a sauce over the pork and the couscous.