Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

It's summertime, which seems to coincide with lighter dinners at our house.  There's more fresh produce in the stores and farmer's markets, which also made me think about this dish.  It's a one-dish dinner, and while there are a number of ingredients and components, it's still very, very easy.  We enjoy pork tenderloin, but as I was cooking, it occurred to me that you could easily substitute skinless, boneless chicken breasts.  So...your choice.

ISLAND PORK TENDERLOIN SALAD

Rub:

 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Glaze:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon Tabasco

Vinaigrette:

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sweet curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Salad:

3 naval oranges
5 ounces baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 firm-ripe California avocados

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the rub:

Combine rub ingredients (pictured above) in a small bowl.

then coat pork with spice rub.

Prepare the glaze:  

Stir together brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco and set aside.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke,

then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total.  

Leave pork in skillet.  Pat glaze onto top of each tenderloin.

Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140 degrees F., about 20 minutes.  Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes.  (Temperature will rise to about 155 degrees F. while standing)

 While the pork is in the oven and then resting, prepare the vinaigrette and salad.

Vinaigrette:

Whisk together juices, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.

Assemble salad ingredients:

Cut peel, including white pith, from oranges with a sharp knife, then cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Toss spinach, bell pepper and raisins in a large bowl with about 1/4 cup vinaigrette.  Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Assemble salad:

Cut pork at a 45-degree angle

into 1-inch thick slices.  Line a large platter with dressed salad and arrange oranges and avocados on one side.

Drizzle some vinaigrette over avocados and oranges.  

Arrange pork slices on top, and pour juices from the skillet over pork.

I think you will find this a very satisfying summer salad, with sweet, savory, and salty flavors nicely balanced.  The whole thing takes about an hour and a quarter, but looks and tastes like you've worked all afternoon.

Serves 6.