Pear and cilantro roast pork tenderloin

The Goods*:

1.5-ish lb pork tenderloin

1 medium-sized d'anjou pear

1 star anise pod**

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp ground coriander

2 cups water

1 shallot

1 tsp chopped cilantro

2 tsp chopped cilantro stems

1 tbsp butter/1 tbsp flour

Brine

2 liters (2 kg) water

100 grams kosher salt

10 cloves garlic

2 medium-sized d'anjou pears

1 heaping bunch cilantro

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp peppercorns

1 bunch thyme

Add the brine water (warm from the tap) to a large container. Add the salt. Stir the water until the salt dissolves. Slice the pears and smash the garlic cloves. Add the garlic, pear slices, and the remaining ingredients to the brine. I brined the pork for 8 hours, but I'd recommend, if time is alloted, to brine overnight.

The third pear is used as a base for the sauce. Peel the off the skin and slice the pear in half length-wise. Thinly (less than 1 cm) slice each pear half. Add the pear slices, salt, sugar, anise pod, ground coriander, and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. The pears should soften considerably; some will begin to fall apart and the water will thicken a bit.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. After brining, rinse off any stuck on peppercorns or thyme sprigs. Thoroughly pat the meat dry with a few paper towels. Trim off the silver skin and any loose fat. Add a bit of sunflower oil to an oven-proof heavy sauté pan and set on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tenderloin. Seer until all sides are browned, or about 4 minutes total. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18 minutes at 400 F. When the meat is done, remove it from the pan. Place the meat on a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Slice the shallot. Mince the cilantro leaves and stems finely. Add some olive oil to the now meat-less sauté pan and set back on the stove on medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until the they are translucent. Remove the star anise from the pear/water solution and deglaze the shallot pan with it. Add the cilantro leaves and stems. Once this begins to simmer, add the butter/flour mixture to thicken it. Slice the meat and serve the sauce over it.

The pear/water solution

Searing the meat!

*This is the third pork tenderloin that I've cooked in the last month! This incarnation is very similar to this one. This pork happens to be locally sourced, from Stillman's farm, in Hardwick Massachusetts.

**I've recently discovered that star anise, cilantro, and coriander are an amazing flavor combination (Yes, the continent of Asia has been on to this one for a long time, but hey). This happens to also really bring out the somewhat subtle flavor of (admittedly unripe) pears.