A Dreamy Dish.
My culinary subconscious seems to work overtime. A lot. Even when in the wilds of Botswana, I found myself waking up from dreams that included full recipes, ready to cook.
Like today’s Coriander-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. The dream had all the necessary details, including serving the pork on a bed of caramelized pear slices along with a dollop of fruit compote.
Of course, my dreams can be weird sometimes, too. This particular dream had me trimming the tenderloin to a perfect rectangle so that the slices would be square. Why on earth…? I chose to ignore that part of the dream.
All in all, it was a good dream, and my several test subjects agree that the dish is really dreamy.
~ David
Coriander-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
To print this recipe, please use the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (see notes)
- 2 tart-sweet apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (see notes)
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably European, divided
- 2 large firm-ripe Bartlett, Anjou, or Comice pears (see notes)
- 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 1/2 pounds
- Kosher salt as needed
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- olive oil
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed (see notes)
Instructions
- Cook together the apples, cranberries, vinegar, brown sugar, cardamom, and a large pinch of salt with 2 tablespoons butter for 10-15 minutes, breaking up the cranberries as they cook, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick. The apples, depending on the variety, may cook down or maintain their shape. Either way is good. Set the compote aside.
- Slice the pears across the equator into 3/16-inch disks (you will need 20 slices) using a mandoline. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a very hot skillet until it just begins to turn golden-brown. Reduce heat to medium and add the pear slices; turn gently to coat with the butter and cook 1-2 minutes on each side to caramelize them. Turn off the heat and let them rest in the butter while you make the pork.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub the tenderloin generously with olive oil and salt, then coat with the ground coriander followed by the crushed coriander seeds, brushing with a bit more oil, if needed, to help the crushed seeds adhere. Place a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and brown the pork on 4 sides, then place the skillet in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove and transfer the meat to a cutting board, and let it rest a few minutes before slicing.
- Arrange 5 caramelized pear slices on each plate. Cut pork into 1/2-inch slices and place three slices on each bed of pears. Top with a dollop of the cranberry-apple compote and serve. Drizzle any leftover caramelized butter over your accompanying vegetables.
- Serves 4.
- Notes:
- • I buy a couple of extra bags of fresh cranberries every fall and freeze them for future use. Since the bag in which they are packaged has holes, I simply put the bag of berries in a resealable bag to avoid freezer burn.
- • I used Gala and McIntosh apples when I tested the recipe. Both worked well.
- • Make sure your pears are not too ripe, as they will quickly turn to mush in the browned butter. If available, Comice pears provided the best flavor.
- • Use the freshest coriander seeds you can find. Old seeds lose their flavor and would affect the quality of the dish.
© 2025 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
angiesrecipes
January 11, 2025 at 6:50 amWhat an intriguing recipe! The pork looks very tender and flavourful. You know, I always thought that pork has to be prepared well done..love the pinkish colour!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 11, 2025 at 7:40 amThanks, Angie — the flavors of the dish really work well together! Pork is a very safe meat now, and serving it pink is the norm here.
Mimi Rippee
January 11, 2025 at 6:58 amWhat a lovely dream! I love the base of pears. Love the cranberry topping. It’s all wonderful, and such a beautiful presentation!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 11, 2025 at 7:41 amThanks, Mimi — I was really happy it all worked out well. I thought it was quite funny — there I was in one of the most magical place in the world and I was dreaming about food!
Mad Dog
January 11, 2025 at 7:09 amThat sounds amazing, especially the coriander crust!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 11, 2025 at 7:41 amThansk, Mad Dog. Your note reminds me that I need to tell people to make sure their coriander seed is fresh; it makes a huge difference.
Eha Carr
January 11, 2025 at 2:02 pmIt is early morning here but I do wish I had that plate in front of me right now! Love pork fillet, have always cooked it a tad pink . . . but have never thought of those elegant pear slices. With cranberries there may be a problem as I have never seen them fresh on our supermarket shelves. Somehow theybare more European or American for us? Oh . . . and that coriander crust is so me, me, me 🙂 ! Thanks and trust you are enjoying happy times . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
January 12, 2025 at 7:32 amGlad you like the recipe, Eha. It is a shame cranberries aren’t available In Australias they have many health benefits: they protect against liver disease, lower blood pressure, improve eyesight, and improve cardiovascular health. They are also loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are one of the rare fruits that are native to North America, specifically northeast United States and parts of Canada.
Eha Carr
January 12, 2025 at 8:01 pmI know! I know! Have just spent 1/2 hour fact-finding 🙂 ! You and Canada produce 98%, boo-hoo! We can get them dried or frozen from you and we are being ‘encouraged’ to grow our own. Hmm – but they are grown in my birth country of Estonia and surrounds – we/they eat so much they have to import more – interesting that most goes for kindergarten and primary school breakfasts atop the morning porridge 🙂 > see what you have made me learn !!!
FEL!X
January 11, 2025 at 6:46 pmWhat a delicious combination! Coriander seeds give a certain freshness to many dishes, its taste is very different than the herb.
I also dream recipes sometimes. Isn’t it a wonderful talent?!
«Ich lag und schlief, da träumte mir
Ein wunderschöner Traum …»
(Hoffmann von Fallersleben, 1873)
Cocoa & Lavender
January 12, 2025 at 7:36 amThanks, Felix — I agree. The flavor of coriander seed is so unique and I often wonder how it can be so different form the leafy herb of the same name. In the US we call the leafy herb cilantro so many people don’t even know they are the same.
I am glad to know you dream recipes, too — it is quite fun, especially when they work. And I did know that quote but not to who it was attributed. Thanks for that detail!
Barb
January 12, 2025 at 8:13 amCreating recipes in your sleep is a great idea, as you can wake up before it’s time to clean the kitchen! Beautiful presentation of the dream recipe!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 12, 2025 at 9:28 pmThanks, Barb — I’ve learned to keep a pad next to the bed so I can jot down notes. It’s really fun!
Ronit
January 12, 2025 at 9:50 amWell dreamed beautiful dish! Pork tenderloin pairs so well with tangy fruits. I like the aromatic addition of both coriander powder and crushed seeds. Freezing fresh cranberries is something I do as well, as they can be used in so many ways. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
January 12, 2025 at 9:29 pmThe crushed seeds really add so much to the dish, Ronit, and I do love the tangy flavors with pork, too,
sherry
January 12, 2025 at 3:30 pmAs you may remember David hubby and I don’t eat pork but i do love the way you have plated it! And the plate is beautiful as is the tablecloth. Well done :=)
cheers
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
January 12, 2025 at 9:31 pmYep, I remember Sherry! Glad you like the plating, though. And I bet you could make this with a variety of different meats!
Pauline
January 13, 2025 at 5:56 pmI love everything about this recipe David, and Pork Tenderloin is such a wonderful cut of pork to cook with. Sadly we never see fresh cranberries here, but I’m sure I could find a workaround. I dream about food too, but not to the level of detail you do, It made me think about musicians who compose songs in their sleep. You are just so talented. I have a confession. I saw your comment on my blog post, In My Kitchen, read it, thought it was great, but we were driving on a road trip, day before yesterday, and I think I accidentally deleted it. Cannot find it now at all, seems to be gone forever. So anyway thanks so much, I really appreciated it !
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 8:20 amThanks, Pauline. I was so pleased with the results, considering it was from a dream! No worries about my comment. Who knows — it could have been my fault!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
January 15, 2025 at 3:30 pmIf this is what you dream about in Africa, perhaps you need to return on a regular basis. This recipe looks and sounds terrific.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 8:08 amThanks, Karen — I have one more recipe dream from Botswana to bring to fruition — stay tuned.
Raymund
January 22, 2025 at 2:35 pmThis sounds like such a delicious and creative dream! It’s amazing how inspiration can strike, even in the most unexpected places. The coriander-crusted pork tenderloin paired with caramelized pear and fruit compote sounds like a perfect balance of savory and sweet, definitely a dish that would impress.
Inger
January 26, 2025 at 3:12 pmLooks delicious! And I’d say that dreams filled with glorious food is a pretty perfect way to top off a great trip!
CC
February 5, 2025 at 10:43 pmDamn, that looks so GOOD! Would have loved this for dinner instead of leftover chili! Haha!