This peach salsa perks up pork

Peppery peach salsa perks up slices of pork tenderloin. This is the season for fresh, ripe peaches. The fruit goes well with roasted pork. For this dinner, I made a fresh peach salsa to spoon over broiled pork tenderloin and served the entr?e with Brown Rice Salad.

The peaches should be ripe for the salsa. Many supermarkets sell tree-ripened peaches, meaning the peaches have been allowed to mature before they are picked, but they still may need a few days to ripen fully.

• Helpful Hints:

Fresh pineapple or papaya may be substituted for the peaches.

A quick way to defrost peas is to place them in a strainer and run warm water over them.

Both of the dishes can be served warm or at room temperature.

Pork With Peach Salsa

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

3/4 pound pork tenderloin

Olive oil spray

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 ripe peaches (about 2 cups cubed)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking tray with foil. Remove visible fat from pork. Butterfly the pork by cutting it nearly in half lengthwise and opening it like a book. Do not cut all the way through. Spray pork with olive oil spray on both sides. Sprinkle cumin over pork. Broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes. Turn and broil for another 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees. Remove to a cutting board to rest while making salsa.

To make salsa: Wash peaches and remove stones. Cut fruit into 1/4-inch pieces. Mix lime juice, honey, cilantro and jalapeno pepper together. Add peaches and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice pork and serve salsa on top.

Yield: 2 servings.

Per serving: 331 calories (18 percent from fat), 6.6 g fat (1.4 g saturated, 3 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 37.7 g protein, 32.3 g carbohydrates, 3.7 g fiber, 95 mg sodium.

Brown Rice Salad

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 package microwaveable brown rice to make 1 1/2-cups cooked rice

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

2 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2-cups and set aside the remaining rice for another dinner. Place in a bowl and add peas. Add the oil and vinegar dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.

Yield: 2 servings.

Per serving: 288 calories (30 percent from fat), 9.7 g fat (1.9 g saturated, 3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 6.2 g protein, 44.3 g carbohydrates, 4.7 g fiber, 9 mg sodium.