Serves 4 (3 ounces pork and ½ cup salsa per serving)

Cranberry Salsa

Ingredients:
1 medium poblano pepper
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple or canned pineapple chunks
packed in their own juice, drained
½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 pound pork tenderloin; discard all visible fat and silver skin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.


2. Wearing disposable plastic gloves, discard the seeds and ribs of the poblano. Finely chop the poblano. Put in a medium bowl. Add the remaining salsa ingredients and toss gently. Set aside.


3. Place the pork on a baking sheet, tucking the narrow end under to allow the pork to cook evenly.


4. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over the pork.


5. Bake for 23 minutes, or until the pork is barely pink in the center and registers 150°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board. Let stand for about 5 minutes before slicing. (The pork will continue to cook during the standing time, reaching about 160°F.)
6. Serve the pork slices with the salsa on the side.

Cook’s Tip:
For a milder dish or if poblanos are not available, use a medium green bell pepper instead. If you would still like a little heat, toss in 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes.

Helpful Hint

We all know pie crusts can make or break our time-consuming desserts. For nice flaky pies crusts, be sure to keep eggs, water, and butter as cold as possible. Most important, do not overwork the dough while mixing. The idea is to combine the ingredients until crumbles form—do not vent your frustrations on them!

Michael Atanasio is the manager of Food & Nutrition for Overlook Hospital. He has more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant and healthcare industries and has competed in and won numerous culinary competitions. In 2000, he was named Chef of the Year.