BoomerGirl Diary

As the weather warms up, lighter meals cooked on the grill fit my summer mood. A meal-in-one of pork tenderloin and seasonal vegetables grilled and served on a bed of salad greens hits the spot on a warm, starry night.

Cover large dinner plates with fresh salad greens and top with grilled sweet corn, peppers, onion and tomato wedges. Arrange slices of the grilled pork tender on the side and drizzle each salad with a zesty homemade barbecue dressing.

Grilled pork tenderloin salad with barbecue dressing

2 ears sweet corn, shucked

4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided

1 large sweet onion, sliced into half rounds

2 large sweet red or orange peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped

salt & black pepper, to taste

2 whole pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds total

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Barbecue Dressing:

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 to 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar, to taste

1 head romaine lettuce, rinsed and drained

6 ounces mixed salad greens, rinsed and drained

2 or 3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

Steam or boil the sweet corn just until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well. Brush the corn with 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil and set aside. Place the sliced onion in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the peppers in a separate bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the ears of corn on a gas grill over high heat, or over hot charcoals. Turn often to char lightly on all sides, about 3 minutes. Cool slightly and slice the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife. Place the kernels in a large bowl.

Heat a grill basket on a gas grill over high heat, or over hot charcoals. Place the sliced onion in the basket and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning often, until tender-crisp. Add the chopped peppers to the grill basket and cook until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the onion and peppers to the bowl with the corn and season the vegetables with salt and pepper.

Trim the silver and excess fat from the pork tenderloins. Brush with the remaining olive or vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the tenderloins, covered, over medium-high heat on a gas grill, or over medium-hot charcoals for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently to brown them evenly. Brush the pork tenderloins with barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove the tenderloins from the grill and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Barbecue Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce and mayonnaise. Whisk in the white wine vinegar. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Tear or chop the romaine lettuce and arrange it along with the mixed salad greens on 6 large dinner plates. Top the lettuce with the grilled vegetables. Slice the pork tenderloins into 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange them on the side. Garnish the plates with the tomato wedges. Drizzle some of the Barbecue Dressing over each salad. Serves 6.

Option: Grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts may be used in place of the pork tenderloin. Either meat may be grilled a day in advance and served chilled.