Mexican Pork. Yum.

There just isn’t anything better than real, quality Mexican food. I know coming from the MHK that isn’t big news, but it just needed to be said. Again. Today’s recipe comes from Aaron Sanchez’ book Simple Food, Big Flavor, a great tome for Mexican recipes. His adobo rub seems complicated at first, but it’s actually a breeze and this dish can be made in less than 45 minutes. We didn’t have ancho chiles, but we used ancho chile powder and it turned out fine. The aromatic spices, the deep chile flavor, and the lean pork combine for a beautiful taste experience. We served this with grilled vegetables and mini cheese quesadillas for a well-rounded, healthy Mexican meal. Enjoy!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Aaron’s Adobo

(serves 4)

¼ cup cumin seeds

¼ cup coriander seeds

¼ cup fennel seeds

¼ cup mustard seeds

2 pasilla chiles (dried poblanos), stemmed, seeded, torn into small pieces

2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into small pieces

½ cup dried oregano

2 tbsp. onion powder

2 tbsp. garlic powder

¼ cup paprika

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 ½ lb. pork tenderloin

Heat a skillet over med-low heat. Toast the cumin, fennel, coriander, mustard, and chile pieces until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Pour into a bowl to cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder. Pour powder into a bowl, add the oregano, onion and garlic powder, and paprika. Stir to combine. Heat grill on medium-high. Rub olive oil over pork, then coat on all sides with ¼ cup of the spice rub. Grill pork on both sides until done – 145 degrees in the center. Let pork rest for five minutes, then slice and serve. Eat!