Recipe: Caribbean Pork with Corn and Papaya Salsa (pork tenderloins) (grilled)

CARIBBEAN PORK WITH CORN AND PAPAYA SALSA

"The spices of the Caribbean islands inspire this fragrant pork tenderloin. When topped with corn salsa this dish becomes the perfect marriage between crisp and meaty textures and spicy-sweet flavors. If you don't have Xante you can substitute another cognac but it's surprising how much flavor a little Xante can add to this dish."

FOR THE PORK:
2 pork tenderloins, 3/4 lb (375 g) each
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) allspice
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric
1 tsp (5 mL) Xante Poire au Cognac
FOR THE PAPAYA SALSA:
1 cup (250 mL) corn, fresh or frozen
1 cup (250 mL) diced papaya
3/4 cup (175 mL) red onion, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
freshly ground black pepper

TO PREPARE THE PORK:
Remove any excess fat from tenderloins and brush with olive oil. Combine brown sugar, allspice, cardamom, cumin and turmeric in a small bowl and drizzle with cognac. Rub mixture evenly over pork, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE PAPAYA SALSA:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine corn, papaya, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Preheat grill to high.

Grill tenderloins for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium. Remove from grill, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Slice pork into medallions and serve with salsa.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Cooking with Booze by Ryan Jennings and David Steele