The only color we didn't find in this presentation of pork tenderloin - was blue. So if you eat with your eyes first, this will captivate you.
Chef Javier Melendez of Byte Bistro in DeLand took us into his kitchen to show us his pork tenderloin dish. Chef Javier is Puerto Rican, and the influences are wildly effective.
Foo instance, he marinates the pork tenderloin overnight in achiote.
"Achiote is a seed," he explains." I'm from Puerto Rico, so we use that a lot over there. We use it for coloring."
He also puts his love into the cubed sweet potatoes.
"This is a little mixture that I do," he demoed. "I've got coriander, a little bit of cinnamon, a little bit of nutmeg."
While plating, Chef artfully drizzles a homemade sauce on top.
"It basically has all of the ingredients that a chimichurri would have," he said. It has little secrets that I add to it. Plus the annato."
Come on, Chef. Just give me one secret - between you and me.
"Chile de arbol."
Score!
Let's cook.
Byte Pork Tenderloin
1 lb. tenderloin
2 medium sized sweet potatoes (medium dice)
2 links Spanish chorizo (small diced)
1 brand of kale (cut in small strips)
1 garlic clove, minced
For achiote chimicurri:
1 cup annato oil
¼ cup chopped cilantro
4 garlic cloves
1/8 cup chopped parsley
2 diced chile de arbol (toasted and grounded)
1 tsp kosher salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
0.5 tsp dried oregano
Juice of 1 lime
For chimicurri:
Mix all ingredients together and process in blender. Use ¼ of the mix and pour on top of pork. Rub pork with marinade, and let sit in fridge 30 mins. – 1 hour.
Roast sweet potatoes at 350-degrees for 15 mins.
Heat pan at medium-high heat, add 1 tsp of oil, sauté garlic until fragrant, add chorizo, kale, and potatoes. Cook for 2 more minutes. Grill pork to desired doneness. Rest and slice.
Place sweet potato hash on plate, top with pork, and drizzle marinade on top of pork. Garnish with cilantro and sprouts.