Fireworks in My Mouth or New Mexican Spiced Pork Sandwich

Okay, I had one of those moments again today!

You know the kind, when you realize you may have outdone yourself, and only WISH this was an original recipe of your own because it is so DIVINELY YUMMY!!!

The background is this, L and I went to Las Vegas last summer.  We knew food was going to be delicious but expensive on the strip, but we really wanted to experience that level of dining.  So we budgeted to do one really good meal a day.  Upon arriving we found out that many "celebrity" restaurants have great lunch menus.  We had especially looked forward to eating at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill.  I ordered the Grilled Swordfish Club, which was absolutely delicious, L ordered the New Mexican Spiced Pork Tenderloin Sandwich.  She loved it so much that she has literally been bringing it up for the last year (though she denies this accusation).  So last night while I was shopping I picked up pork sirloin steaks and arugula (L wanted an exact replica, hence the arugula), I was finally going to make the sandwich of L's dreams.

To replicate this I used:
2 pork sirloin steaks
Joanne's New New Mexican Spice Rub
Spicy Yogurt Sauce
Grilled Red Onions
Arugula
Rolls

Using this recipe from Bobby Flay I made the spice rub for the pork.  I didn't have, nor did I want to have 3 types of chili powder, so I subbed a bit. The following is what I used.


Joanne's  New New Mexican Spice Rub
2 Tbs Chile powder
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp allspice

Season the pork with salt and dredge it in the spice rub.  Don't sprinkle this on, or rub it in, coat it like you are breading chicken.  Sear the pork on a hot grill or in a pan. (Short plug for my Cuisinart Griddler, buy one yesterday, I love mine that much!)  Then finish cooking in oven or on low heat.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing, patience is hard when that delicious-ness is staring at you but be strong!  While you are waiting, go ahead and grill the red onions for a bit til they are just caramelizing.



Mesa Grill serves their sandwich with an ancho chile mayonnaise, all the recipes in this vein called for dried chilies, which I didn't want to purchase, and making your own mayonnaise, which I am not ready to try.  So I read a few recipes and decided to wing it with my own creation derived from my Google searches.

Spicy Yogurt Sauce
3 oz Greek yogurt
1/2 Lime
A few squirts of Sriracha

Combine the yogurt, lime juice, and Sriracha to taste.

Gather everything together, because you are ready to assemble!

First, slice that well rested pork thinly, against the grain.  And go ahead and try a bite, especially the end pieces, that play of sweet then spicy is absolutely perfect!

Next, toast your buns, both sides, of both sides, does that make sense?  This another place I used my Griddler, compacted the bread enough, made a crispy outer and soft center.

Now assemble as follows:

And now enjoy the wonderful bliss of sweet, spicy, peppery, crunchy, tender goodness!

 

Special Thanks to L

for making this come to fruition in my kitchen!