Pork Tenderloin in Chocolate Sea Salt Crust with Mexican Chocolate Sauce

Category: Entrée
Servings: 4 – 6
Adventure Ingredients: Ancho Chili Powder, Cardamom, Sea Salt

For the salt crust:

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sea salt (kosher salt is acceptable substitute)
• 1-½ ounce Scharffen Berger® 82% Cacao Chocolate, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 5 egg whites
• 1-½ cups water
• 2 pork tenderloins

For the Mexican chocolate sauce:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (1 tablespoon butter may be substituted for a richer sauce)
• ¼ of a large sweet onion, minced
• Pinch salt
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon añejo (or dark) rum
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ oz Scharffen Berger® 82% Cacao Chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/3 cup chicken stock

Preparation:

Place the flour, salt, all but one tablespoon of the grated chocolate, one tablespoon of the Ancho chile, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl (reserve a tablespoon of the chocolate and a teaspoon of the chile for later). In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and water and add to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or potato masher until the mixture starts to come together, then knead with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until it forms a cohesive ball. Transfer the mixture to a large zip-top bag, seal, and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to 1/2-inch thickness, approximately a 24 by 18-inch rectangle. Trim away extra dough, if necessary.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grill over medium high heat (or pan sear) the tenderloins two minutes per side until all sides are nicely browned (optionally, rub with a teaspoon of sesame oil prior to pan-searing). Rest the meat until it is cool to the touch.

Reserve the juices from the tenderloins. Now place one of the tenderloins in the center of the dough. Dust the top with half of the reserved chocolate shavings and half of the reserved chile. Place the second tenderloin on top of the first. Sprinkle with the remaining reserved chocolate shavings and chile.

Fold the top part of dough over the tenderloins, flipping back about 1-inch of dough onto itself. Repeat with the bottom half of the dough. Press together the two flaps of dough and seal. Make sure the dough is not too tight around the tenderloin. At the ends of the tenderloin, press together dough to form a seal and cut away any excess. Transfer to a sheet pan, place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the tenderloins in the salt crust from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

For the Sauce:

While the tenderloins are resting, prepare the Mexican chocolate sauce. Add the sesame oil and finely sliced onion with a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium high heat until the onion begins to brown (caramelize), stirring frequently. Add the orange juice, rum, honey, previously reserved juices from the tenderloins, and balsamic and cook until the mixture starts to simmer, and then turn the stove to low. Add the chocolate, stirring continuously until dissolved. Once dissolved, remove from heat immediately. Stir in the Ancho chile, cinnamon, and cumin.

Cut salt crust away from the tenderloins. Discard the salt crust as it is inedible. Cut the tenderloins into thin medallions and drizzle with the desired amount of sauce.

Presentation:

The salt crust will allow the flavors of the cardamom, ancho chile, and chocolate to permeate the tenderloins, while allowing them to cook to a beautiful tenderness. Sea salt will add a very nice flavor to this, but may be cost prohibitive. Kosher salt can be substituted.

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