Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Pesto

This was my first time cooking pork tenderloin.  And the first time I made this, I made it with pork chops because Whole Foods was out of tenderloin.  The pork chops were okay but the tenderloin is definitely better (more tender, duh!)  And as delicious as the marinade sounds, it's the cilantro pesto that's really the wow factor in this recipe.  And as usual, the recipe is very easy to follow.  I got this one from the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook (you have to subscribe to Mark Sisson's enewsletter in order to get this - totally worth it, in my humble opinion).

I only took pictures of the pork chop version

Special equipment needed:

mini food processor

2 lbs. pork tenderloin

MARINADE

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

CILANTRO PESTO

1 bunch cilantro leaves (I used all of the cilantro in my garden for this)

2 large garlic cloves

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced thin

1 tbsp fish sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup almond butter

1 tsp honey

1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk

sea salt (I forgot to add this and didn't miss it at all)

1. Slice loin into 1-inch thickness and place in gallon ziploc bag

2. Mix together marinade ingredients; pour into ziploc

3. Push all excess air out of the bag and seal it; move marinade around to make sure all pieces are covered; put bag in large bowl and refrigerate overnight (move marinade around at the halfway point - or whenever you think of it)

4. Take bag out of fridge about half an hour before cooking; heat fat (I use 2 tbsp coconut oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat

5. Sear tenderloin slices, turning once (cook in batches if needed - don't overcrowd the pan)

6. Keep cooked pork warm in 250 degree oven, covered in foil, while you make the pesto

7. Add all pesto ingredients (except coconut milk) into mini food processor and process until everything is fully incorporated.

8. With processor running, pour in coconut milk (I didn't need more than 1/2 cup)

I can't seem to stop taking pictures of this broccoli dish - it's just so photogenic!

For serving, I simply poured the pesto onto the pork and served it with an awesome veggie side, like Roasted Cashew-Covered Broccoli.  I found that the pesto made more than needed for the 2 lbs. of tenderloin I cooked, but I guess it depends on how much you put on each piece of pork.  The pesto kept well for about a week and while it did firm up in the fridge, it liquified quickly once it made contact with the re-heated pork.

Enjoy!