Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Strawberry Salad
Serves 6
2 pounds pork tenderloin
1 cup Bodacious Balsamic Marinade (recipe below)
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
5 oz. mixed salad greens
1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion
2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
2/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup Bodacious Olive 18 Year Aged or Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Bodacious Olive Coratina or Garlic Olive Oil (or other robust EVOO)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Place the pork tenderloins in a non-reactive dish or resealable bag and cover with Balsamic Marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but no more than 24.
Preheat grill. Remove pork from marinade and cook for 20 minutes on a medium-hot grill until done. Outsides should be dark and crisp, but not blackened. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad greens, strawberries and sliced onion with the vinaigrette and top with the pecans and blue cheese.
Slice the pork and serve alongside the salad.
Bodacious Balsamic Marinade
This simple marinade is delicious for anything you plan to grill: pork, steak, chicken, even veggies will benefit from a soak in this sauce!
Makes 1 cup marinade
1/2 cup Bodacious Olive 18 Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Bodacious Olive Garlic Olive Oil (Gremolata is excellent, too!)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Place items to be marinated in a resealable bag or non-reactive dish and coat with marinade. Use guide below to determine marinating time and turn items halfway through if not coated on both sides. When marinating time is up, remove from marinade, shaking off excess liquid and cook on a hot grill.
Marinating times:
Pork, chicken or beef – 3 hours to overnight
Vegetables – 1 hour
Hearty cuts of fish – 1 hour
Delicate cuts of fish or shrimp – 20 minutes
Note: Cook the leftover marinade liquid over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by half for a delicious drizzling sauce.