Coconut Milk Braised Pork Tenderloin

In our attempt to find a way to combine coconut milk and pork tenderloin we came across many recipes for milk-braised pork loin, which apparently is a pretty popular dish.  It sounds strange, I know, but the result is very tender pork with a rich creamy sauce.   The sauce in our version wasn't as thick as expected, most likely from the use of coconut milk instead of regular milk or cream.  But it gave the dish a very unique flavor along with the cardamom pods and cinnamon.  With a side of roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked potato, it was quite a tasty meal!

Ingredients:

• 1 pork tenderloin (1-1.5 lbs) or two small tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup milk 
• 4 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
• 4 sage leaves

Directions:
Pat the pork dry and season well with salt and pepper.  Spread the mustard over the exterior.  

In a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high and sear the pork on all sides until it is well browned.  Our tenderloin was so large we had to cut it in half and do this in two batches.  

Next, pour both milks into the dutch oven along with the garlic, cinnamon, cardamom and sage.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until your thermometer reaches 140 degrees F, rotating the pork every 5 minutes.  

Remove the pork to a plate and tent with foil while you reduce the sauce.  Bring the sauce to a medium boil, stirring often.  

After 10-15 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and sage.  Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until all the garlic is smooth.  Taste the sauce for salt and serve over the sliced pork.  The sauce was delicious on top of the baked potato too.