Chili Pork Tenderloin with Poblano-Tomatillo-Lime Sauce

So, I have a confession. I have had these pictures sitting neglected on my Flickr page for months. Like, early summer kind of months. I remember how excited I was when I made this, because I used a lot of our garden veggies (bell peppers) in the sauce and for the sides (okra and zucchini).  But now, alas, summer is gone, the garden is also gone. In fact, J just mowed it down this weekend. It was a bit sad, and the jalapenos were actually still producing, but the rest of it has long since passed the point of producing and it was just time to say good-bye. I guess sharing this post with you now is a good way to re-live those fruitful days of our first garden, as the weather is getting colder by the day and summer will soon be a distant memory.

Sigh. 

Onions, poblanos, bell pepper, and garlic…sauteing away.

Then some lime juice and cilantro. Throw the pork back on top, cover and simmer for…awhile.

• 1 Tbsp dried red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 2 poblano peppers, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
• 10 oz tomatillos, peeled and roughly chopped (this was 6 small tomatillos)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix together the chili flakes, salt, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly on all sides of the tenderloins, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
2. Remove from the refrigerator and let meat come to room temperature.
3. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
4. Add the onions, poblano and bell peppers, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, and bay leaf, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
6. Add the lime juice and cilantro, stir well, and bring to a boil.
7. Return the tenderloins to the pan. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender and cooked through, about 30-45 minutes, depending on size/thickness of the tenderloins.
8. Remove from the heat. Transfer the pork to a large cutting board and tent to keep warm.
9. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, and puree on high speed. Return to the cooking pan and cook a few more minutes, until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
10. Slice the pork into 1/2″ medallions and serve with the sauce. Ah-may-zing!