Orange-Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin on a Bed of Sweet Potato Puree with Hazelnuts and Cranberry Chutney

1 Rose Packing Co. pork tenderloin (about 1½ pounds)

6 ounces (½ a bag) fresh cranberries

Juice from 2 oranges, save 1 half of spent orange

5 tablespoons butter, divided

2 large carrots, peeled and diced fine, divided

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced fine, divided

1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored and diced fine, divided

Zest from ½ an orange, divided

2-3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced

½ cup dried cranberries

½ rosemary sprig

2 large sweet potatoes

Cooking oil

Salt and pepper

½-¾ heavy whipping cream

½ cup Fisher Chef’s Natural hazelnuts, toasted and crushed

½ cup Fisher Chef’s Natural pecans, toasted hazelnuts

1 small shallot, minced

¼ cup Gale’s Root Beer

1 tablespoon Ying’s Kitchen orange sauce

1 tablespoon Holland House Balsamic Vinegar

2-3 canned chipotle peppers, chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, or a sprig of parsley

For the chutney: Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan with a lid. Add fresh cranberries and the spent orange half; cover and simmer.

In a saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and saute three-fourths of the carrot pieces, all the ginger, half the diced apple and half the diced pear and 1 teaspoon orange zest until tender, about 2 minutes.

Add the carrot mixture, dried cranberries and rosemary spring to the simmering cranberries and cover. Let bubble and thicken. Remove pan from heat and discard spent orange half and rosemary. Using an immersion blender blend cranberry mixture slightly. You want it to be chunky, not pureed.

For the sweet potato puree: Peel and cut potatoes into quarters and place into boiling water. Cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and place potatoes back in pot on the heat for a minute or two to remove any moisture.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in clean pan and saute the remaining diced apple and pear 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon orange zest and another 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter melts, add 2 tablepoons liquid from the simmering cranberries to the potato pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sauted fruit mix.

Add cream a little at a time, up to about ½ cup; use just enough to easily whip the potatoes with immersion or hand-held blender. Taste and add salt to taste. Fold in hazelnuts and pecans.

For the glaze: Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a pan. Saute shallots 1 minute, add chopped chipotle peppers, 1 tablespoon orange zest and orange juice, reduce by about half. Add root beer, orange sauce, 2 tablespoons juice from simmering cranberries and balsamic vinegar. Continue to reduce.

For the tenderloin: Trim any fatty membrane from the pork and slice into 1-inch thick medallions. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Cook medallions about 3 to 4 minutes each side. After flipping, add 1 tablespoon butter to pan, let melt and spoon over meat while it’s finishing. In the last minute, paint with the orange-chipotle glaze.

To plate: Spoon 1 serving of sweet potato puree in center of plate. Lay two medallions of pork, glaze-side up, onto puree. Spoon chutney on top of the medallions and around the puree on the plate. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves three to four.

Cook of the Week Challenge finalist Michael Lalagos

Judges comments

Marwin Brown: Pork could be seasoned more. Orange glaze is subtle early but comes on in the end and adds a nice touch...was hoping for more chipotle. Sweet potato is off-colored.

Hagop Hagopian: Too much puree; best cooked pork.

Connie Schumann: The pork tenderloin had smooth flavor. I liked the contrast of the cranberry sauce.

Ying Stoller: A little light on the seasoning.

Barb Wagner: Good variety of ingredients. Love the sweet potatoes. Meat is a little to spicy for my liking, but good.