Guava-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro-Jalapeño Salsa

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate. heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Add the guava paste and water and cook, stirring, until the paste has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup and cayenne. Season with salt.

2. Set the pork tenderloins in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and brush them all over with half of the guava glaze.

3. Light a fire or heat a grill pan over moderate heat. Grill the pork, turning and brushing with the remaining glaze, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.

4. In a bowl, mix the cilantro, oil, vinegar, onion, chives, jalapeños and garlic. Season with salt.

5. Thinly slice the pork. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with the salsa.

Notes

Guava paste is available in the Latin section of most supermarkets.

Serve With

Fresh fava bean puree.

Suggested Pairing

The Carmenère grape has a strange history in Chile, where until recently growers mistook it for a late–ripening Merlot. This largely forgotten variety from Bordeaux was transported to Chile before it was nearly wiped out by phylloxera in France in the mid–nineteenth century. It has the personality it stand up to bold Nueva Latina cooking. its lush black raspberry flavors, echoed by its carmine color (hence its name), are every bit the equal of such dishes as the guava–glazed pork here. Plus, its peppery finish complements the herb salsa, and its soft tannins match the velvety fava puree.