Spicy Coconut Pork Tenderloin

Recipe No. 2
Spicy Coconut Pork Tenderloin

Serving size for this recipe: 6-8 people

Average cost: $25 or less


Summertime makes me think about grilling. Taking whatever I want to eat and putting it into a vessel that is made to impart flavors that are smokey and delicious. This is a recipe that I am excited about making for friends to enjoy at a party, hanging around the pool- relaxing. Lets get started!

To prep the tenderloin for marinating- remove any silver skin that may be left on it and then you should be good to go. Go ahead and pre-heat your oven for 325 and get your grill going. I prefer to use charcoal on this just because of the great smoky flavor you get. Now, besides the star- The Tenderloin- these are the other ingredients you'll need:
5 cloves of fresh garlic
1 1/2 cans of coconut milk
1 poblano chile
1 lime
½ a white onion
1 small tomato
1 ½ cups of fresh chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp of Cumin
1/4 Tsp of Cayenne Pepper
A good amount of flour tortillas (enough for 8 people)
3 cups of Oaxaca cheese (substitute Monterrey Jack if unavailable)

Now, place your poblano chile on the grill to char the skin, then place the chile in a bowl- cover with plastic and let it set for 2 minutes (this will help when you’re removing the waxy outer skin of the chile) then remove the stem, seeds and inner ribs. Dice it up and set it back in the bowl. Next you're going to chop 1 cup of the cilantro, mince the onion, and garlic - combine with the pablano, cumin, cayenne and stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper - this completes your marinade.

Okay- take a deep breath, you made it through the marinade!!! Now back to business.

With a fork, make 8-10 punctures up and down the tenderloin (this will help the marinade get in for maximum flavor.) Place the tenderloin in a large zip tight bag, add the marinade and let this sit in the fridge for at least an hour (overnight would be amazing!) when you're grill is smokin' hot- remove from the fridge let it sit for 10 minutes out to come up to temperature. Place on your grill sear all sides, this should take 7 minutes at most. Then move it to a baking sheet- cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
While that's going- let's make some salsa. Take your tomato and dice it as fine as you like. then chop the remaining cilantro, add fresh lime juice, a pinch of cayenne, and salt & pepper and you're done!

Once your pork has cooked and rested(at least 10 minutes) slice it into equal portions for your guest. I recommend that you fill your tortillas with the pork, sprinkle on some Oaxaca cheese and fresh salsa.

You're going to taste the smokiness from the grill on that pork- the coolness of the coconut should come through with a little kick from the cayenne and garlic, some great flavor and texture from the cheese and salsa to round it out.

You see- summertime is a state of mind. Put out some cold drinks, great food and add some good friends/family and you're guaranteed a good time. Enjoy!

Spicy Hot- Spicy Good!

Critique No. 3
Restaurant:
Thai Spice
1192 NE Douglas
Lee's Summit, MO 64086
816-347-9859

Cuisine: Authentic Thai
Max. Seating Occupancy: 57
Price Point Average: Lunch- $6.99, Dinner- $8.99

(Well, I was referred to this next restaurant by a reader of the blog- Thanks for the tip, and keep the referrals coming!)

In an unassuming little strip mall off of Douglas Street in Lee's Summit you'll find dry cleaners, Army recruiters and other merchants; but rarely do you find a restaurant that pays attention to details like this one does. I walked in to Thai Spice, Authentic Thai Cuisine and was pleased to see a business owner that cares about presentation. They've been at their location for a year and 8 months and have been embraced by the community as the "go-to Thai place". I was seated at my choice of table or booth (I took the booth). The aroma of Thai tea was perfuming the room, so I had to order some. Then I was told that with my meal comes with either a salad or hot and sour soup, I opted the soup and it was amazing. A delicious combination of mouth-feels, the soft texture of the tofu and the silkiness of the egg all mixed with the deep complexity of that broth. For the appetizer I enjoyed the Fried Dumplings.

They were filled with wonderfully tender chicken and vegetables and a homemade sauce was served for dipping. It was rich and savory. The thing I loved about these dumplings was how they were plated. This is when I started to notice the cuisine part of Thai Spice. A Rectangular plate with a bed of red and green cabbage and these little pillows of fried goodness resting on top. The simple detail of garnishing food with food you can eat instead of scraps of parsley. The cool, crisp cabbage against the warm tenderness of the dumpling all tied together with the sauce...ahh..it was scrumptious; and this was just the appetizer! Next was the entree of Pineapple Fried Rice.

This was something I'd never even heard of- and the reason is simple, it's a Thai food classic and this was my first Thai meal. Fried jasmine rice with segments of sauteed pineapple, shrimp, chicken, roasted cashews, raisins, egg and scallions. Wow! This was served with two wonderful little Crab Rangoon and a beautiful dish of four sauces and spices. Red chili flakes, jalapenos, a hot and sour sauce, and a scallion vinegar sauce. The hostess told me that the red chili sauce was good on the fried rice, so being the brave soul that I am- I went for it! OH MY! They lived up to the Spice in their name. Spicy, but in a way that didn't kill you- it kind of rolled around in your mouth then ends up on the back or your pallet to cool down. In all of this experience, I've tried to be objective and not just sing the praises of an establishment but look at any negative or challenging aspects. In this case however...I really can't. This was a great meal, served by great people, in a relaxing environment and I have nothing but good things to say it. They are open 7 days a week for dine in or carry out. Thai Spice is a family owned, local gem that you won't mind visiting time and time again.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!