Staff Sgt. Rhodello Nuval’s Lemon Herbed Tenderloin and Salmon Sunrise feature complex flavors for the most sophisticated palate in your social circle, but require little fuss to create the accompanying sauces. These are great dishes for a special dinner or an impromptu mixer for a social club, family or out-of-town dinner guests.
Lemon Herbed Tenderloin

1 (2-pound) pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon garlic

3 to 4 teaspoons dry lemon pepper

Olive oil

2 to 3 leaves of fresh basil

1 package blueberries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

1/4 cup water

Take one roll pork tenderloin, slit in middle and open like a hot dog bun. Season slit with teaspoon each of ginger, garlic and lemon pepper. Add fresh basil leaves in the slit and close. Rub exterior of tenderloin with olive oil. Season all sides of tenderloin with remaining lemon pepper. Use toothpicks to seal the slit. In a medium-sized skillet or nonstick saute pan, over medium-high, sear tenderloin on all sides to a nice golden brown color.

Remove from pan, let rest for about a minute and transfer to an oven pan and cover with foil. Roast at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 to 170 degrees. While tenderloin is cooking, start on the Blueberry Coulis. When tenderloin temperature has been reached, remove from oven, uncover and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut tenderloin into medallions. Plate pork medallions with 2 tablespoons of coulis as the base. Place with crisscrossing tenderloin medallions and serve.

Blueberry Coulis

Take one package of fresh blueberries into a sauce pan at medium heat. Note: You can substitute raspberries when in season. Add sugar, orange zest and lemon zest. Let boil and add 1/4 cup water or until smooth in texture. Note: Sweet Italian wine can be substituted for the water to accent the flavor. Once texture is achieved, remove from medium heat and keep warm.

Salmon Sunrise

6 servings

1 (2-1/2 pounds) pink salmon fillet

3 oranges and cut in half

2 to 3 teaspoons lemon pepper

Olive oil or cooking spray

1 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Squeeze the juice of two oranges evenly onto salmon with the skin side down, save oranges. Sprinkle lemon pepper lightly over fish. Cover oven pan with foil, coat with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Place salmon on oven pan, skin side down, and cover pan with foil. Let cook at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes depending upon thickness and size of fish. To test for doneness, cut the salmon. Meat should flake off when done. Once salmon is done, remove from oven and let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Cut and plate. Place a 6-ounce portion of salmon in the middle of plate and top with orange glaze, garnishing with a touch of fresh parsley.

Orange Glaze

Place any residual oranges and squeeze juice from remaining orange into a sauce pan with 1 cup of water and let boil for 10 minutes to extract juices. Strain oranges from sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons of sugar to liquid and bring to a boil.

As sauce heats, thoroughly mix 4 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup water, set aside. Once sauce has boiled, remove from heat. Pour cornstarch mixture into sauce, stir to get a nice orange glaze. Use glaze to top and dress salmon.