Caribbean Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 main-course servings

For pork

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder (Korean)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds total)

2 tablespoons olive oil

For glaze (optional)

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon Tabasco

or 1/2 cup Stonehouse 27 dates & tamarind cooking sauce with roasted chilies and garlic
 (Whole Food Market)

1 tablespoon honey

Andrea’s 5 Spice mix

For vinaigrette

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh orange or grapefruit juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

fresh ginger juice

For salad

3 navel oranges or grapefruit

5 ounces wild arugula, trimmed (6 cups leaves)

Romaine lettuce (3-5 leaves per serving)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (raisings, pine nuts)

2 firm-ripe Hass avocados

Prepare pork:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet.

Make glaze and roast pork:

Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140°F, about 20 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.)

Make vinaigrette while pork roasts:

Whisk together juices, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.

Prepare salad ingredients while pork stands:

Cut peel, including white pith, from oranges/grapefruit with a sharp knife, then cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss arugula, and cranberries in a large bowl with about 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Assemble salad:

Cut pork at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Line a large platter with dressed salad and arrange sliced pork, oranges/grapefruit, and avocados in rows on top. Drizzle some vinaigrette over avocados and oranges. Pour any juices from skillet over pork.