Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Salsa

Serving Size: 4   

Ingredients

 2 (1-lb) pork tenderloins
 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 For MARINADE:
 2 tablespoons  olive oil
 1 tablespoon  paprika
 ½ tablespoon  chopped fresh thyme

For PINEAPPLE SALSA:

1  (4 lb.) pineapple
2 ounces  unsalted butter
2 ounces  brown sugar
1 Nielsen-Massey whole vanilla bean, split in half
2  tablespoons  lime jus
3 tablespoons  white wine vinegar
1 ½ ounces minced jalapeno pepper
½ teaspoon  ground cumin
5 pieces  green onion (use white part only)
1 packed tablespoons chopped fresh basil
 salt and black pepper to taste

For PORK SAUCE:
8 ounces  pork scraps
2 tablespoons  chopped onion
3 ounces  pineapple cooking jus
2 ounces  wine vinegar
2 cups  pork stock
3 sprigs  fresh thyme
1 tablespoon  unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Method

1) MARINADE
Mix olive oil, paprika, and chopped thyme.  Remove nerves and excess fat from the meat.  Marinade tenderloin 5 to 6 hours before cooking.

2)  PINEAPPLE SALSA
Melt butter. Add brown sugar and vanilla beans.  When sugar starts to cook, add pineapple and roast in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with 3 to 4 ounces of water.  Turn down the oven to 325°F.  Basting often, braise pineapple for about 1 hour.  Turn pineapple often.  When the pineapple is ready, remove from the pan.  Save the pineapple cooking jus for the sauce.

Cut the pineapple in small dice.  In a pot, place diced pineapple, add lime jus, white wine vinegar, minced jalapeno pepper, ground cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.  Add thin sliced onions, chopped fresh basil.  Season to taste, with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3) PORK SAUCE
Brown the pork scraps in 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add chopped onions and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove the excess fat.  Deglaze with the white wine vinegar.  Reduce to syrupy consistency.  Add the pineapple cooking jus, the pork stock, and the 3 sprigs of thyme.  Season and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Pass the sauce through a chinois and reduce to desired consistency.

4)  Sear the pork tenderloins in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, and then cook in a 400°F oven for 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove from the pan and let the meat sit for 10 minutes before carving.

Put the pineapple salsa in the middle of the plate.  Arrange the slices of roast pork around.  Circle the meat with the jus.  Decorate with a pineapple chip.