Obedient Ingredient – Guava Paste

I received quite the challenge last week. A friend of mine brought over Guava Paste and wanted me to come up with a meal using it. Now I don't know if you have ever heard of the term "Obedient Ingredient" but basically it means taking an "exotic" flavor or ingredient and incorporating it into something that you would usually cook.

I really like Pork Tenderloins – so I decided to make a sauce for the tenderloin with the paste and since there was extra – I decided to incorporate it into one of my favorite side dishes, baked potatoes and carrots.
I also cooked some green beans (I did not use the paste), which you will see in the picture. Well since taking the picture and making this dinner – I have improved upon both of the side dishes and will provide you with the new recipes which will look slightly different than the posted picture. These recipes will be in a different posting.

Guava-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro-Jalapeno Salsa
(Original recipe by Ruth Van Waerebeek-Gonzalez – my adaptation is noted below)

(Serves 4)
Cilantro-Jalapeno Salsa
½ Cup Cilantro, chopped
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Minced Onion
2 Tbsp – Chives, chopped
½ - Jalapeno Pepper
½ - Italian Pepper
2 – Garlic Cloves, minced
¼ Tsp – Cumin
Salt to taste.

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except the oil), once incorporated whisk in the oil slowly. Set aside or cover and refrigerate.

(There is a picture of this Salsa as served with the Pepperoni Flatbread Rollups - in that posting).
Guava-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

(Serves 4)
1 – (1 to 2 lb) Pork Tenderloin
1 Tbsp – Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp – Onion, minced
1 – Garlic Clove, minced
7 oz. – Guava Paste, chopped (3/4 cup)
½ Cup Water
1 Tbsp – Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp – Ketchup
1 Tbsp – Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Take the tenderloin from the fridge and place in a shallow baking dish and let come to room temperature (at least one hour but no more than 3 hours)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the guava paste and water, stirring, until the paste has dissolved. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup and cayenne. Remove from heat and season with salt. Set aside.

Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloin on all sides (you can also add some flavor buy putting salt and pepper during this process). Remove the tenderloin and place back in the shallow baking dish.

Glaze the tenderloin with the sauce all over top and bottom (make sure that the fat side of the tenderloin is on top). Then pour any remaining sauce over the top (or another option is to baste the tenderloin about 30 minutes into the baking process with the remaining glaze). I would suggest if you choose to just pour it over the top and leave it – that you definitely line your pan with aluminum foil.

Bake in oven (uncovered) for 50 to 80 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°. Remove and place on a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes.

Thinly slice the pork and garnish with cilantro sprigs (optional) and serve with the salsa and any side dishes of your choosing.

*Note the salsa is also good with other dishes and the above noted Flatbread posting will have a recipe that you can also use this wonderful salsa; I used it with the leftovers.

Mexican Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde & Avocado Salad

I have wanted to make a Salsa Verde for quite some time and I had a 1.7 lb Pork Tenderloin in the fridge – so I decided to make a light "south of the border" style meal. This is what I came up with! 

Salsa Verde

10 to 12 Tomatillos – husk removed
2 Cloves – Garlic
½ – Medium Onion, chopped
1 – Cup Cilantro, lightly packed
1 - Small Italian Pepper (or just use half of a large one)
½ - Jalapeño, seeded
1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
1 Packet – Con Culantro Y Achiote Seasoning (Sazon Goya)
½ Tsp – Cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Boil the tomatillos in a large sauce pan or pot for 7 to 10 minutes. You want them soft but not overcooked. Drain and submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process and to allow cooling faster. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut into quarters. Place in a food processor along with the garlic, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, olive oil, Sazon seasoning, cumin and pulse for about 10 seconds. Scrape the sides down and taste, add salt and pepper as necessary and repulse until you reach an even consistency. Remove from food processor into a glass or non-reactive metal bowl – cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, so that the flavors can blend. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to serving.  This recipe makes more than you will need for this menu.  Use the rest with tortilla chips or with any other dish you desire.


Mexican Pork Tenderloin
(Serves 4)

1 – Pork Tenderloin (1 to 2 lbs)
1 Packet – Sazon Goya con Culantro Y Achiote Seasoning
1 Packet – McCormick's Sazon with Coriander and Annatto
1 to 2 Tbsp – Taco Seasoning
1 Tsp – Cumin, Heaping
3 to 4 Tbsp – Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 Tsp – Salt
1 Tsp – Pepper
1 Tsp – Dried Thyme
1 Tsp – Dried Rosemary
2 Tbsp – Olive Oil

Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and rinse it off and pat it dry. Place in a shallow baking dish lined in aluminum foil.

Using a mortar and pestle, blend all of the dry ingredients. I like to add one at a time to get a very nice blended flavor.  Also, please note that I do indeed use the McCormick's and the Goya Sazon products as they have differences in flavor (both are great and you could just use one or the other).

Coat all sides of the tenderloin with the dry rub and place fat side up, drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil down the piece of fat in a zigzag manner. Let rest and come to room temperature (at least one hour & up to 3 hours).

Preheat oven to 450°.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil down the center of the loin. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 250°. Bake for 50 to 80 minutes – until internal temperature reads 150°. Remove from the oven and take the tenderloin and place on a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Avocado Salad
(Serves 2 to 4)

1 – Ripe Haas Avocados, peeled and pitted
1 – Tomato, halved and sliced thin
½ - Medium Onion, halved and sliced thin
2 – Limes
1 – Lemon
1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the avocados into strips, combine with the tomato and the onion, salt and pepper to taste. Place into a glass bowl or non-reactive metal bowl and squeeze the juice of the lemon and the limes and lightly toss. Drizzle in the olive oil and again slightly toss.

This makes a great meal.  Very filling, yet light.  To serve, place your slices of pork on plate and place the salsa vertically down the middle of the pork and put the salad on the side.  This is a spicy dish - so if you don't like spicy foods - this probably would not work very well for you.