Pork Fajitas with Smoky Cherry Salsa
This pork fajitas recipe with grilled pork tenderloin, onions and peppers gets a sweet-smoky aroma and flavor when topped with chipotle-infused cherry salsa. Manchego cheese, though untraditional for fajitas, pairs nicely.
From EatingWell: May/June 2012
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 2 limes
- 6 teaspoons lime juice, divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper (see Tips), divided
- 1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 1 medium white onion, thickly sliced crosswise
- 1 red or green bell pepper, quartered
- 1 cup chopped pitted sweet or sour fresh cherries (see Tips)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup shredded Manchego or Cheddar cheese
- 8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed (see Tips)
Preparation
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Mash 1 teaspoon salt and garlic in a small bowl with a mortar and pestle or a spoon until a paste forms. Mix in lime zest, 2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon ground chipotle. Rub the paste all over pork.
- Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the pork, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 145°F, 13 to 15 minutes. Grill onion and bell pepper, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Combine cherries, cilantro, the remaining 4 teaspoons lime juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon chipotle and pinch of salt in a bowl. Finely chop one slice of grilled onion and stir into the salsa.
- Thinly slice the remaining onion and pepper. Thinly slice the pork. Serve the pork and vegetables with the salsa and cheese on tortillas.
- Make Ahead Tip: Marinate pork (Step 2) in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 8 hours.
- Tips: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeños. Look for ground chipotle in the spice section of most supermarkets or online at penzeys.com.
- To pit fresh cherries, use a tool made for the job—a hand-held cherry pitter; it also works for olives! Or pry out the pit with the tip of a knife or vegetable peeler.
- To warm corn tortillas, wrap a stack of tortillas in barely damp paper towels; microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds. Or wrap stacks of 4 tortillas in foil; place in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap tortillas in a clean towel to keep warm.
- Oiling a grill rack before you grill foods helps ensure that the food won’t stick. Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to coat the food with cooking spray.
Nutrition Per serving:
365 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 107 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 37 g protein; 6 g fiber; 881 mg sodium; 883 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (87% daily value), Vitamin A (38% dv), Zinc (27% dv), Potassium (25% dv), Magnesium (23% dv), Calcium (18% dv), Iron (15% dv)
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 1/2 lean meat