Hatch-tastic Cheesy Pork Tenderloin with Hatch Purée

Okay so this is a recipe I created for a Hatch Chile recipe contest last August.  I got second out of a couple hundred final entries.  Not shabby, I reckon.  I made this again tonight, I haven't made it in almost a year and now I remember why...  It's a little laborious.  What can I say?  Apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment. Lol.  So if you have about 2.5 - 3 hours of free time and want an awesome grilled pork tenderloin recipe this summer, give this bad boy a try.  I like to serve this with grilled veggies and mashed potatoes.  Obviously, if you don't like spicy foods you probably don't need to make this.  With that said, here's the recipe.  Y'all enjoy!!

Hatch-tastic Cheesy Pork Tenderloin w/Hatch Purée

Serves 6

Purée:

9 Hatch Chiles (roasted, skinned, and stemmed)

1 Avocado, small (peeled and pit removed)

1tsp Honey

1 Lime, juiced

2T Veg. Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Purée first 4 ingredients in a blender. With blender running drizzle the oil in to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Marinade:

2 Pork Tenderloins (about 2lbs total) trimmed, butterflied and flattened to between ¼ - ½ “

½ c. Tequila

¼ c Veg. Oil

2T. Cajun Seasoning, ex. “Slap Ya Mama”

2 Shallots, minced

4 Limes, zested and juiced

3 Hatch Chiles, (roasted, skinned and stemmed) diced

Cilantro 1 small bunch, chopped

Mix all marinade ingredients and put in a container with the flattened pork tenderloins. Cover the pork on all sides with marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour flipping the pork ½ way through.

Filling:

1 8oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1c Habanero Jack cheese, shredded

6 slices of Bacon

4 Shallots, minced

2 large, or 4 small Cloves of Garlic, minced

¼ c Cilantro, finely chopped

2T. Tequila

1tsp Cajun Seasoning

12 or More Hatch Chiles (roasted, peeled, stemmed and halved)

*While the Pork marinates make the sauce and filling.

Cook bacon until crisp, set aside to drain and then crumble. In about 1TB of reserved bacon grease cook the shallot and garlic until tender. Pour the tequila in and deglaze the pan, stirring until the tequila evaporates. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a bowl mix softened cream cheese, Cajun seasoning, and cilantro with the cooled shallot and garlic mixture.

Remove the Pork from the marinade and lay out on a cutting board.  Cover the tenderloin with hatch chiles leaving a 1” space around the sides. Spread ½ the cream cheese mixture on top of the chiles. Sprinkle ½ c of the habanero jack cheese on top of the cream cheese. Top the cheese with ½ the crumbled bacon.  Roll and tie the tenderloin about every 1” or so. (It’s okay if some of the filling comes out.)  Repeat with the second tenderloin. Salt and pepper the outsides of both tenderloins.

Grill over direct heat about 3 minutes per side (12 minutes) total to sear. Remove to indirect heat and tent with foil. Cook until a digital thermometer reads 145 degrees in the thickest part.

Remove from grill and let rest, tented with foil for 10 minutes.

Remove strings and slice into 1” pinwheels and serve with the Hatch-Avocado Purée.