Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Aquavit Seasonings
The seasonings traditionally used to make aquavit--a Northern European distilled spirit--vary with every recipe, but they usually include pork-friendly seasonings like caraway, cumin and fennel-so why not combine the two? This easy, pretty dish is great hot off the grill or made ahead and chilled.
Ingredients
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2 teaspoons caraway seeds
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2 teaspoons coriander seeds
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2 teaspoons fennel seeds
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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1/2 bay leaf
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
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2 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed
Directions
1.
Combine caraway, coriander, fennel, cumin and bay leaf in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder; process to a fine powder. Add salt and pepper.
2.
Place 2 tablespoons of the spice rub in a small bowl. Combine the remaining rub with dill in another small bowl.
3.
Place 1 tenderloin on a piece of plastic wrap. To butterfly it, hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and slice through the meat to within a half inch of the opposite side. Open like a book. Cover with more plastic wrap and gently pound with a mallet or heavy skillet to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
4.
Spread half of the dill-spice mixture down the center of each flattened tenderloin. Roll the pork, jelly-roll style, to create 2 long cylinders; tie kitchen string around each in several spots to keep them rolled. Rub all over with the reserved (no-dill) spice rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
5.
Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.
6.
Oil the grill rack (see Tip) (if broiling, line a broiler pan with foil and oil the foil). Grill or broil the tenderloins, turning several times, until just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F, 14 to 18 minutes.
7.
Transfer the tenderloins to a clean cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before carving into 1/2-inch slices.
Tips:
Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare the spice rub (Step 1) up to 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate rolled tender loins for up to 6 hours. If serving cold, grill or broil the pork, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Equipment: Kitchen string
Nutrition information
Calories 130, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 74 mg, Sodium 207 mg, Carbohydrate 1 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 24 g, Potassium 475 mg. Exchanges: Lean Meat 3.5
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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