Adobo-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Pico de Gallo

When I crave a break from the usual chicken or fish I think of pork tenderloin. It's very lean and cooks quickly. Does it taste great? Usually not. Pork tenderloin can be a little dry and boring. This dish is different. It has a bit of a spicy kick and the meat stays juicy and flavorful. The adobo rub is easy to put together and does wonders for the super lean pork. Black bean pico de gallo is a perfect partner. I served this with oven roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus. The sweet potatoes went into the oven first, followed by the asparagus and then the pork. The recipe makes extra adobo rub which you can try on, what else, chicken and fish of course. Thanks to Self magazine (4/03) for this excellent recipe which I changed slightly.

Pork

6 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp coarse salt

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 pinches cayenne pepper

24 oz. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 3 to 4 ounce pieces

Pico de gallo

1 15 ounce can black beans

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper

2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

salt to taste

For pork: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix paprika, black pepper, salt, chili powder, sugar and cayenne. Rub all sides of each tenderloin piece with spice mixture. Preheat oven safe skillet over medium high heat and pan sear pices until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to oven until done (about 12 minutes- check at 10 minutes).

To make pico de gallo, mix all ingredients. Serve 1/2 cup over tenderloin pieces and place the remaining pico de gallo on the table.

Serves 4

Notes: My daughter Rachel and her wife Lisa make a very delicious corn relish during the corn season and often send us a few jars of it. I added some relish to the pico de gallo. The bright yellow corn looks beautiful combined with black beans and the taste is wonderful. If you have some corn on hand, add it. Chopped avocado would also be a great addition.