This fresh late-summer pork tenderloin recipe pairs juicy roasted pork with sweet nectarines, charred corn, cucumber, herbs, and a bright lime-chile dressing.
Now and then I come across a recipe and think, I have to make this right now. September is the tail end of stone fruit season, so grab a few nectarines while you still can. This dish is everything you want in a late-summer meal: fresh, saucy, juicy, sweet, spicy, and delightfully slurpy.
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Corn and Nectarine Salad
Serves 3
Ingredients
¼ cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 to 3 Serrano chiles, thinly sliced (depending on how hot you like it)
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), silver skin removed
1 tablespoon neutral oil
2 cups corn kernels (from 2 ears)
2 firm nectarines, thinly sliced
2 Persian or mini seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Fresh mint and/or cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
Kosher or flaky salt, to taste
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the pork tenderloin in half crosswise so it will fit in an oven-safe skillet, preferably cast iron.
In a large bowl, stir together the lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, serrano chiles, and garlic until the sugar dissolves. Remove about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and brush it over the pork. Reserve the remaining sauce.
Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork until browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the corn to the skillet, and toss to coat with the pan juices. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the thickest part of the pork reaches 140 to 145 degrees, about 10 to 14 minutes. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, add the sliced red onion to the reserved sauce and stir to coat. Letting the onion sit in the dressing softens its sharp bite.
Season the pork lightly with kosher or flaky salt, then thinly slice.
Add the sliced nectarines, cucumbers, and roasted corn to the bowl with the onions. Add a small handful of chopped cilantro and 4 or 5 torn mint leaves, if using. Toss everything together until well coated.
Arrange most of the salad on a serving platter, fan the sliced pork over the top, then spoon the remaining salad and dressing over the pork. Garnish with additional herbs, if desired.
Serve with steamed rice or rice noodles.
Adapted from Ali Slagle, NYT Cooking.