Tender is the Loin...

Yes, I stole the title from Alton Brown. Sue me.

One of my favorite cuts of meat is the pork tenderloin. On one hand, it's a wonderfully primal cut of meat. It's big, bulky, and it's 100 percent pure, unadulterated meaty goodness. Whenever I toss one on the grill, I almost feel obligated to let out a low pitched grunt. I try to keep it at a low volume, so as not to attract the neighbors.

Tenderloins are also great because they are wonderfully versatile. You can marinate them in almost any flavor and they will turn out good. It can be Asian, Caribbean, or Mediterranean...it really doesn't matter.

There are two keys to a successful pork tenderloin experience. First, the meat needs to be cooked carefully. It needs to be grilled long enough to develop a nicely seared crust on the outside, while being fully cooked, hot, and juicy. Second, the meat needs to be paired with sides that enhance the meat's flavor without filling you up too much. I tend to shy away from pairing tenderloins with potatoes, for example, because the starchy potatoes fill me up, and hamper my ability to gobble away at the entree.

Below, you'll find a recipe from "Cooking Light" magazine. I just tried it out tonight, and it tasted great.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Green Mango

THE PORK

1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
4 big garlic cloves, minced
1 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Basically, all you do is prep these ingredients and combine them in a large, resealable plastic bag. Put the tenderloin in the fridge and let it marinate for an hour or two. As it marinates, you can prepare the rest of the meal. Make sure you turn it over every now and then, so the marinate permeates the whole tenderloin.

THE MANGO SALAD

1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 or a whole (depending on how much heat you like) jalapeno, minced with seeds removed
1 large green (unripe) mango, peeled and chopped fine
1 - 1.5 cups bean sprouts
3 - 4 scallions, chopped
Several large Boston (or Romaine) lettuce leaves

Combine the carrot, mint, basil, cilantro, salt, red pepper flakes, jalapeno, mango, and bean sprouts in a big bowl. Mix well, and refrigerate. Rinse the lettuce leaves thoroughly. Pat dry, and set in fridge until dinner time.

When you're ready to cook, fire up the grill. You want to allow 20 minutes or so to cook the tenderloin, plus a few minutes to let it rest afterwards. A medium - hot fire is good for this.

Grease the grill with some Pam. When grill is hot, throw the tenderloin on. Dispose of the remaining marinate.

Turn the meat occasionally with thongs, so it develops a nice, seared crust all over the outside. Don't worry about burning it - there will be plenty of juices inside if you watch the temperature carefully.

Periodically insert an instant - read thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin. You're aiming for a temperature of about 160 degrees, or just a shade under. As soon as it reaches that point, pull it off the grill! Set it on a plate and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

Get some plates (however many you're serving). Put 2 lettuce leaves on each one. Add several generous spoon fulls of salad on top of each leaf.

Slice the pork on a diagonal. Arrange the slices on top of the salads. Let sit for a minute or two. The juices from the meat combined with the juice from the mango will actually "self dress" the salad for you. No need for oil or vinegar here!

Bring the plates to the table and enjoy this wonderfully hearty, flavorful, and light dish!