Description

 

Achiote Pork Tenderloin with Polenta Cakes

Chef Gil Junge
Thanksgiving flavors with a global twist. Achiote-marinated pork tenderloin, polenta cakes, roasted acorn squash and a cranberry-pineapple relish. You’re gonna love it, pilgrim.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course dinner, entree
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 580 kcal

Equipment

  • 1G Sealable bag
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • 2 Baking trays
  • Large non-stick sauté pan
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Salt & pepper

Ingredients (2 Servings)
  

  • 12 ozw pork tenderloin
  • 1 each acorn squash, ⅛ wedges
  • 2 each polenta cakes
  • 2 ozv achiote marinade
  • 6 ozv cranberry-pineapple relish

Instructions
 

(2 servings) 4 servings

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F. Leave cranberry-pineapple relish out at room temp. Place pork tenderloin(s) into a sealable bag and add achiote marinade. Mix until pork is covered and allow to marinate at room temp until you reach step 3. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out insides. Cut each half into quarters and place on baking tray. Cover each wedge of squash with some oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until softened and starting to brown.
  • In a large non-stick sauté pan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Sear polenta cakes on each side for about 2 minutes or until brown. Transfer to one side of a baking tray leaving room for the pork tenderloin in the next step.
  • Wipe out the sauté pan that was used to cook the polenta cakes and heat another drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork tenderloin(s) for about 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Place on the baking tray with polenta cakes and finish in oven for additional 10-12 minutes or until it reaches 145˚F. The acorn squash should be about halfway through cooking when you add pork and polenta to oven. This way it all comes out about the same time.
  • Once the pork tenderloin(s) has reached an internal temperature of 145˚F, remove from the oven and allow to rest a few minutes. Slice the pork into medallions. Place polenta cakes on a plate with the acorn squash. Top with the sliced pork tenderloin and the cranberry-pineapple relish. Serve & enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

TIPS & TRICKS:
Cover the pork in the achiote marinade for as long as you can (up to 3 days in the fridge). It’s the perfect partner to any pork or poultry product, and gives it an earthy, rich flavor that’s all-palate friendly.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS NEEDED:
  • 1G sealable bag
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt & pepper
INGREDIENTS:
Acorn squash (30.7%), Water (24.2%) [Water (67.5%), ORGANIC POLENTA (15.3%) [100% ORGANIC CORN], Onions (5.4%), Carrots (4.3%), Celery (3.7%), Vegan Parmesan (1.9%) [Filtered
Water, Organic Palm Fruit Oil†, Modified Potato Starch, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Natural Flavors (Contains Autolyzed Yeast), Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Less than 2% of: Sea Salt,
Calcium Phosphate, Bamboo Fiber, Sodium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Lactic Acid, Nutritional Yeast, Organic Chickpea Miso (Organic Handmade Rice Koji, Organic Whole Chickpeas, Sea
Salt, Water, Koji Spores), Sunflower Lecithin, Citric Acid, Annatto.† Rainforest Alliance Certified], LOW SODIUM CHICKEN BASE (1.4%) [CHICKEN MEAT AND NATURAL CHICKEN JUICES,
MALTODEXTRIN, YEAST EXTRACT, SALT, CORNSTARCH, FLAVORS, CHICKEN FAT, CHICKEN BROTH, 2% OR LESS OF CORN OIL, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, MODIFIED
CORNSTARCH, NATURAL EXTRACTIVES OF TURMERIC AND ANNATTO, SPICE, CITRIC ACID, DRIED CHICKEN, LACTIC ACID, ROSEMARY EXTRACT ], Sage Leaf (0.48%) [sage], Black pepper
(0.04%), Sea salt, kosher salt (0.01%) [Sea Salt]], Pork tenderloin (24.2%), Pineapple (16.1%) [Pineapple (61.4%), Cranberries (22.4%), Red wine vinegar (8.1%) (SULPHITES), PURE SUGAR
(3.8%) [SUGAR], Shallots (2.9%), Sage Leaf (0.96%) [sage], Coriander (0.27%), Ground cinnamon (0.09%), Black pepper (0.08%), Crushed red pepper (0.01%), Sea salt, kosher salt (0.01%)
[Sea Salt]], Lime juice (2.7%) [Lime juice (54.8%), Red wine vinegar (19.5%) (SULPHITES), Garlic (7.8%), ABODO WITH CHIPOTLE (7.8%) [SALT, GRANULATED GARLIC, CHIPOTLE PEPPER,
OREGANO, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE (TO PREVENT CAKING), GROUND BLACK PEPPER, AND OTHER SPICES ], Brown sugar (4.2%), Annato, achiote (1.8%) [Annatto, vegetable,
shortening, salt and condiment.], CUMIN GROUND (1.3%) [CUMIN & CAYENNE PEPPER ], Dried oregano (1.2%), GROUND BLACK PEPPER (0.92%) [BLACK PEPPER], Blended Vegetable Oil
(0.65%) [Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil]], Blended Vegetable Oil (2%) [Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil], Sea salt, kosher salt (0.01%) [Sea Salt], Black pepper (0.01%)

Nutrition

Serving: 24ozwCalories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 41gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2.5gTrans Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 770mgPotassium: 1660mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gCalcium: 120mgIron: 3.7mg
Keyword autumn, pork, thanksgiving
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