Rainbow Fruit Stuffed Pork Tenderloin With Fried Cheddar Grits And A Blueberry Coulis - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
1 pack dried mixed fruit, coarsely chopped
Olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
Parsley, for garnish
Cheddar Fried Grits:
2 cups water
1 cup grits
1/4 stick butter
1 cup milk, divided
1/2 cup grated Cheddar, plus more if desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, for egg wash
2 cups panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
Oil, for frying
Blueberry Coulis:
1 pint fresh blueberries, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Preparation

Trim the tenderloin by cutting off all silverskin. In food processor, coarsely chop mixed dried fruit. Insert metal dowel or tool into the end of the meat to make a pocket through the center. Stuff the chopped fruit inside. Season the tenderloin with the olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over a high heat. Sear the tenderloin on all sides until caramel. Cover the meat with aluminum foil and finish cooking it in the oven until the center of the meat reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes after cooking. Cut tenderloin into medallions. Keep warm until ready to plate.

Cheddar Grits:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium pot, heat 2 cups of water until boiling. Add the grits and stir continuously until done, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, 1/2 cup of milk, Cheddar and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the grits into a square pan and chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Once set, use a small biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and beat gently with a fork. Carefully dip each round in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil until golden and set aside until ready to serve.

Blueberry Coulis:

Add the blueberries to a small saucepan with water to cover. Add sugar; cook over medium heat until blueberries are completely cooked, about 7 minutes. Strain, reserving cooked blueberries, and add the lemon and orange peel. Let steep until cool.

Plating:

Put some of the coulis in the middle of the plate. Place 1 of the round pieces of fried grits in the middle of the coulis. Place 1 pork medallion on top of the grits. Continue the process until satisfied with the look. Place the additional blueberries around as garnish along with the parsley. Plate presentation is up to the discretion of the chef.