I've been making this for years! It's perfect for a healthy weeknight meal or even entertaining! I was first turned on to Za'atar while I was living in Astoria. It is the perfect lemony, woodsy blend of flavors that complement pork really well. My recipes are more like guidelines, so feel free to add however many or whatever you want. I call them mom meals because they are easy and open to interpretation.
Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin
- Za'atar
- Israeli couscous, orzo, pasta whatever you have on hand
- Vegetables of choice: tomatoes, peas, spinach, asparagus, etc.
- Feta
- Lemon (juice/zest)
- Fresh Parsley
- Sugar
- Salt and Pepper
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Olive Oil
Directions
- Pat pork dry. Brush with a generous amount of olive oil and a little vinegar. Season with salt and pepper then cover the pork in za'atar. You will want this to look almost like a crust all over it.
- Cook the couscous/orzo to package directions. You'll want to cook this before getting the meat on the grill. It's yummy at room temp.
- Optional: roast veggies. This time around I used asparagus so I cooked them. Depending on what you are using veggies can remain raw. It's up to you.
- Make the dressing: lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, olive oil, parsley, a little sugar. I do this to taste, make it how you like it. You'll also want to add a couple of teaspoons of the orzo or couscous cooking water. This helps the sugar dissolve and helps the dressing stick to the warm orzo or couscous.
- Grill the pork on direct heat 5-7 minutes per side or until the temp is 140 -145 degrees.
- While the meat rests, assemble your couscous and veggies
ENJOY!