5-Spice Pork and Fruit Salad

Prep Time:  20 minutes                     Cooking Time:  10 minutes
Number of Servings: 4

Salad Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into bite-size chunks
1 sweet or tart apple, unpeeled, cored, and sliced or diced
2 -3 tablespoons (45 mL) raisins or chopped dried apricots – or a combination of both
1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped red onion
2-3 cups of a mixture of chopped romaine hearts, spinach and/or leaf lettuce
2 tablespoons (30 mL) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely

1 small pork tenderloin, silverskin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) brown sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Kosher/sea salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette:

1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 mL) apple jelly, melted
1 ½ tablespoons (25 mL) apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Chinese 5-Spice
3-4 tablespoons (45-60 mL) vegetable or grapeseed oil
Sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare Salad: Place fruit, celery, and red onion with the greens in a large salad bowl.
2. Prepare Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mix together the shallot, mustard, apple jelly, vinegar and Chinese 5-Spice. Drizzle in the oil, whisking until the mixture comes together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare Tenderloin:   Toss the tenderloin cubes in a mixture of the Chinese 5-Spice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Preheat a medium sauté pan (medium-high heat). Add a little olive oil to the pan.   Saute cubes for 8-10 minutes (if you are using leftover pork pieces, just sauté briefly).    Remove from heat, and set aside.
4. Gently stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette into the salad mixture. Place on individual salad plates, or on one large salad platter. Top the salad with some of the warm pork cubes. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.   Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley over top.