Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Sauce

I have recently discovered that I love pork tenderloin.  It’s tender and flavorful and provides a great lean alternative to the usual chicken and fish.  I decided to play around today and make a sauce for the pork with some of my Pom Wonderful juice.  I was very happy with how the dish turned out.  My inspiration was turkey with cranberry sauce, and I actually liked this even better.  The pomegranate is milder than cranberry and the pork is more flavorful than turkey, so the flavors actually complemented each other rather than competing.  I often find fruity sauces too sweet, but this was just right.  Here’s how to make it:

For the pork: rub a pork tenderloin with salt, black pepper pepper, rosemary, garlic and cayenne pepper.  You can use other herbs if you like, but I really recommend the cayenne…the spicy interplays nicely with the sweetness of the sauce. Roast at 350 for around 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads between 150 and 160, depending on how rare you like your pork.

For the sauce, reduce half a cup of pomegranate juice in a sauce pan by about half.  Season with cinnamon, lots of freshly ground black pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  Stir in a pat of butter at the end. Let the sauce cool slightly before serving. If you have extra, it keeps in the fridge very well–just bring it to room temperature and give it a good mix to reincorporate the butter.

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