Grilled Moroccan Spiced Pork Tenderloin

Photo by Tara Donne

from Grace Parisi’s recipe via Epicurious.com

submitted by Katy Lonergan

serves 8

1½ tablespoons ground coriander

1½ tablespoons ground cumin

1½ tablespoons ground chile powder, preferably ancho

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1½ teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground caraway

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 pork tenderloins, about 1¼ pounds each, butterflied and lightly pounded to ½ in thickness

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 bunches fresh mint, roughly chopped

Grilled naan

In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, chile powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, caraway, black pepper and olive oil, pressing out any lumps of sugar. On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, rub the mixture all over pork on both sides and let sit, covered at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight. Return to room temperature before grilling.

In another small bowl, mix yogurt with mint and set aside in refrigerator.

Light a grill and oil the grates. Grill the pork over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 6 to 9 minutes depending upon desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit for 10 minutes loosely tented with foil before cutting into thick slices.

Serve warm with mint yogurt drizzled on top and naan on the side.

This is a very flavorful and super simple-to-prepare dish. When I made it, I let the pork marinate in the rub/olive oil in the refrigerator for 4 hours prior to grilling.

For butterflying and pounding the pork, cut the pork in half lengthwise most of the way through, keeping one edge intact and open the tenderloin. Then place a sheet of plastic wrap over the tenderloin and use a mallet, back of a frying pan, or an empty wine bottle to pound the tenderloin to desired thickness. I opted for the empty wine bottle.