Smoked Latin Pork Tenderloin with Potato Hash
1 pork tenderloin, about 1¼ to 1½ pounds
smoked paprika
salt and pepper
avocado oil
2 tablespoons butter
For the chimichurri sauce:
1 cup kale leaves, stems removed
1 cup water cress
1 shallot
3 to 5 cloves garlic
½ cup avocado oil
1 teaspoon salt
For the mole sauce:
½ cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons barley, processed to powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 to 5 small cloves garlic, diced
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 avocado, pureed
¼ cup chardonnay
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
For the hash:
5 slices bacon, cooked and diced
2 red peppers, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
4 yukon gold potatoes, diced
½ large onion, diced
1 cup cauliflower, diced
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons butter
To plate:
1 to 2 red peppers, sliced into 4 rounds about 1½-inches thick, seeds removed
Special equipment:
Kitchen smoker filled with cherry and apple chips or sawdust
4 glass domes or bowls, large enough to cover each plate,
Trim fat and silver skin from pork tenderloin. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the chimichurri, place kale, water cress, shallot and garlic in food processor. Gradually pour in oil while processing to a smooth consistency. Add more oil if necessary. Season with salt. Set aside.
For the mole, place chocolate, barley, cumin, chili powder and garlic in food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in sour cream, avocado and chardonnay. Transfer to sauce pan, add 1½ cups of the broth, bring to a bubble, then reduce to simmer, stirring and cooking to a smooth texture. Add more broth if necessary for desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.
For the hash, heat avocado oil and butter in saute pan. Add red, green and yellow peppers with potatoes and onion. Cook until vegetables begin to get tender. Add cauliflower and continue cooking until vegetables are very tender. Stir in diced bacon, season with salt and pepper to taste. In saute pan heat a thin layer of avocado oil and add pork, searing on all sides 2½ to 3 minutes each side.
While cooking, melt in 2 tablespoons butter. After searing, remove tenderloin, cut into 1½ to 2-inch slice and return to pan, cooking until done, several more minutes.
To plate, place a slice of red pepper in the center of four plates. Fill red pepper with hash. Top with sliced pork. Transfer chimichurri and mole sauces to squeeze bottles if desired and garnish plates with generous amounts of both. Or, spoon sauces decoratively onto plates. Place glass dome partially over plates, fill with smoke and seal with dome. Leave in place for two or three minutes before serving. For dramatic presentation, remove domes at table.
Serves 4
Michael Ek