reader, brace yourself. this recipe is super easy, but it is going to require you to get up close and personal with a big hunk of raw meat.

if you are like most of my friends, you look at raw meat and start slowly backing away.  do not be afraid.  it will be worth it.

the challenge is the rub.  here it is, in my adorable morter & pestle (one of the lovely wedding gifts i kept – thank you cousins!):

this is about 4 cloves of garlic, and powdered curry, cinnamon, & ginger.  and maybe some salt and pepper.  all mashed up. with a little olive oil, but i had a super hard time getting the oil to come together with the spices in the mortar.  try a bowl and a fork.

now, apply to your pork!  you have to work it in there.  use some elbow grease.  get to know your tenderloin.  think about how tasty it's going to be.

you're going to want to sear this bad boy in a pan that you can then just pop into your oven to finish it off until the center of the thickest part of the meat is 145 degrees. 

do you have a meat thermometer?  you should get one.  mine is digital and fancy-pants and ridiculously expenseive (and purple!) but super worth it.  you don't have to spend that much.  but a thermometer is really the only way to know your meat is cooked properly.  don't blame me, blame harold mcgee.

see how nice and browned it got from the searing?  yum.

you want to let your pork rest while you make the peach compote. if you slice into the meat too soon, it'll look raw in the middle, cooked on the outside, and dry, dry, dry because all the juices'll just be a puddle on your plate.  not yummy.  resting lets all the juices redistribute throughout the meat.  evens out the cookedness (yes i know that's not a word) of the meat.

and you have other things to deal with: tomatoes, corn and peaches!

well, first you want to soften some onions in your pan – leave all the good porky bits in the bottom to help flavor them up.  but careful not to grab the handle while you're sauteing.  it's hot, people – it was in the oven.  and if you grab it, it'll leave you trying to finish dinner while holding an ice pack and that's just no fun.  not that i would know from experience or anything. 

next, add the good stuff shown above and a healthy amount of fresh herbs – i went with thyme.  i heart thyme.

this isn't a 30 minute meal.  but it's pretty close.  and it's pretty good.

Easy Summer Pork Tenderloin with Peach, Corn & Tomato Compote

Adapted from Epicurious

• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 (3/4-pound) pork tenderloin
• Olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 pound tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 peach, chopped
• 1 ear corn kernels
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

Mash garlic, spices, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a paste using mortar and pestle. Rub all over pork.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on one side, about 5 minutes, then turn over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 145 to 150°F for juicy meat, 10 to 12 minutes. Let pork rest, uncovered, on a cutting board while making compote.

Add onion to skillet (handle will be very hot) and sautéover medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, peach and corn and sauté until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme.

Slice pork and serve with compote.