Chile-Citrus Pork with Sautéed Pears

• Recipe by Charlie Palmer

Ingredients

1. 6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2. 4 sun-dried tomato halves (not oil-packed)
3. 1 tablespoon canola oil
4. 1 medium onion, chopped
5. 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
6. 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
7. 1/4 cup tomato paste
8. 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
9. 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
10. 1 teaspoon oregano
11. Kosher salt
12. 2 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless center-cut pork loin
13. Freshly ground pepper
14. 3 large ripe Comice pears--peeled, cored, and sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
15. 6 cups watercress, stemmed

Directions

1. In a bowl, soak the chiles in hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. In another bowl, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the chiles and tomatoes; coarsely chop the chiles.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion, chiles and sun-dried tomatoes and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add the orange juice, lemon juice, tomato paste, orange zest, tarragon, oregano and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Puree until smooth. 
3. Preheat the oven to 450°. Roast the pork in a roasting pan for about 15 minutes, or until starting to brown. Spread 6 tablespoons of the chile paste on the pork. Lower the oven temperature to 375° and roast for 10 minutes. Spread 2 more tablespoons of the chile paste on the pork and roast for about 30 minutes more, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meat reads 145°. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Season the meat with salt and pepper. 
4. In a nonstick skillet, cook the pear slices over moderately high heat, without stirring, until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Arrange the watercress and pears on a platter. Slice the pork 1/4 inch thick and arrange on top.

Notes

ONE SERVING: Calories 258 kcal, Protein 28 gm, Carbohydrate 21 gm, Cholesterol 72 mg, Total Fat 7.7 gm, Saturated Fat 2 gm