Deliciously yellow fruit, a pineapple is neither a pine nor an apple but is a group of berries fused together.
Pineapples are indigenous to South America and are believed to have originated in the forests of Brazil and harvested by tribes who lived in the area. Christopher Columbus is credited with introducing the pineapple to Europe and “Pina Des Indes” or “Pinecone of the Indes” were the names used to describe the fruit by the Spanish.
The pineapple plant has a life span of up to fifty years, can take up to three years to grow and mature, and only one pineapple is produced by a plant in a season.
Pineapple goes well with ham, seafood, chicken, tofu, yoghurt, and cottage cheese.
The combination of hoisin pork and pineapple rice fuses together delicious flavours and can be prepped and cooked in a relatively short amount of time. The filet or tenderloin used in this recipe is one of the healthier cuts of meat and is just as lean as skinless chicken breasts.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Servings: 2 to 3
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 2 tbsps. hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsps. soya sauce
- 1 tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 tsps. honey
- 1 ½ tsps. rice vinegar
- 2 tbsps. vegetable oil
- 4 cups cooked white or jasmine rice
- 2 tbsps. butter
- ½ tsp. red chilli flakes
- 2 tbsps. chopped coriander leaves
- 1 can (398 ml) pineapple tidbits, drained
- ½ tsp. salt
Directions:
- In a small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, soya sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, and half a teaspoon of rice vinegar. Spread the marinade all over the tenderloin and let it sit for ten minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add two tablespoons of oil to a large skillet and place the tenderloin in it. On medium heat, brown the tenderloin on all sides, approximately three to four minutes. Remove tenderloin from skillet and place on a foil-lined baking tray. Pour any remaining marinade over it and then place it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- On medium heat, melt butter in a wok or skillet, add drained pineapple pieces, chilli flakes, chopped coriander, one teaspoon of rice vinegar, and salt. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and then add the cooked rice and gently blend all the ingredients together. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves and a few pineapple pieces.
- Remove tenderloin from oven, cover and let stand for five minutes. Serve sliced tenderloin with small bowls of Pineapple Rice and use Hoisin sauce as a dip if desired.
Bon Appétit!
