dn's Peanut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I came across the original recipe for this entre on page 19 of the Spring 2010 issue of the Compliments.ca magazine called “Inspiration”. It sounded quite tasty but called for an ingredient that I didn’t have - Sensations by Compliments Lime & Chilli Kettle Cooked Peanuts. I guess I could have bought a package of these specialty peanuts, but I really didn’t think I’d use them for anything else and the taste combo might be too spicy for my liking to eat them on their own. I didn’t want to spend the extra money for a premium product either. So, like pretty much every other recipe I’ve ever tried, I decided that I could do a little improvised adjustments and create a similar version with everyday ingredients!

Here is what I did differently: The peanuts were seasoned with lime and chilli so I added some lime juice and some red pepper flakes to replace those flavours. I also added a bit of garlic for extra kick and well, just because I love garlic! I used regular salted peanuts for the crust. The result was a very flavourful dish that I have made several times since.

dn's Peanut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (bottled type from produce section)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup crushed Peanuts
Finely sliced green onions for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F (190°C). Mix mustard, peanut butter, lime juice, red pepper flakes and garlic in a small dish and set aside. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat and sear pork on all sides until browned.

Spread peanut butter mixture evenly over pork and roll tenderloin in peanuts. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 min., until golden and temperature reaches 160°F (71°C)) on a meat thermometer.

Let pork rest 5 minutes, slice, garnish with green onions and serve with brown rice and a green veggie such as broccoli or green beans.

Yields: 4 servings

Notes:
- I had some leftovers so the next day, I scraped off the coating and set it aside. I sliced the meat very thinly. Then I took a soft whole wheat tortilla and spread it with a bit of mayo, added the meat, coating mix, some shredded lettuce and a bit more chopped green onion. SO GOOD!!
- I have also tried this recipe using thick, boneless pork chops. Sear the chops as you would the tenderloin and proceed the same with the rest of the recipe.

Enjoy!

dn