Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Grapes and French Lentils
This delicious match of roasted pork and braised lentils is a well-balanced meal high in protein, but low in calories. Pork tenderloin is quick to prepare and to cook, giving the full flavors of roasted pork without the long cooking times that most of the other different cuts take. The key here is the brining part of the process, brining is an easy way to make your tenderloin tender and really juicy, but most importantly it will help the meat to draw in moisture and salt adding all the flavors from the aromatics used in your brine. Our Mombacho Cafe Nicaraguan Blend is the perfect one for this recipe, roasted garlic, coriander, cumin and citrus peel from the oranges and meyer lemons are a perfect pair with pork, complementing the sweetness and tanginess of the braised lentils when splashed with balsamic vinegar making this recipe a weeknight friendly meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 Pork tenderloin
- 4 cups French Lentils, cooked
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 cup Yellow Onions, diced small
- ½ cup Carrots, diced small
- ½ cup Celery, diced small
- Spice Tribe Mombacho Cafe Nicaraguan blend
- Spice Tribe Sacred Valley Pink Peruvian Salt
- Spice Tribe Late Harvest Black Peppercorn
- ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
- 2 cups Seedless Red Grapes
- 3 Thyme Sprigs
- ½ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
Brine:
**Quick rule is 1 tbsp Salt per 1 cup of water or 1 cup Salt per 1 gal water, the rest is yours!!
- 3 cups Water
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Mombacho Cafe Nicaraguan blend
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- Peel of 1 Orange
- Optional pinch of Spice Tribe Caramelized Black Garlic Salt
Mix all the ingredients to dissolve, cover pork tenderloins with liquid refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hrs. Remove from the brine and pat dry, gently season the pork tenderloins with salt and Mombacho Cafe Nicaraguan Blend.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Heat up a large ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat until really hot, approximately 5 minutes. Once the pan is hot, add 2 tbsp olive, Thyme sprigs and place the pork tenderloin in it allowing it to cook for 3 minutes on each side or until a nice golden brown crust has formed all around making sure the whole tenderloin is well seared.
- Add grapes to the pan/skillet and transfer the pan to the oven and roast for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloin reads 145°F.
- While the pork tenderloin is roasting, heat up a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp Olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, Mombacho Cafe blend, season with salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring frequently until veggies have softened. Add lentils, parsley and toss to combine well. Set aside and keep warm.
- Once the pork tenderloin is cooked remove it from the pan and let it rest on top of a cutting board covered with aluminum paper.
- Pour in the Balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and freshly ground black peppercorn.
- Slice the pork tenderloin (not too thin!) served with lentils and the grape sauce.
- Sprinkle a pinch of Spice Tribe's Caramelized Black Garlic Salt as a garnish to boost flavor.