A while back I saw Michael Chiarello's show, Easy Entertaining, where he made this pork tenderloin with cocoa powder - I thought it sounded kind of crazy but he said it was great and he's usually spot on....so I printed out his recipe and stuck it in 
my "to make" file...
just for the
record, Chiarello called his recipe, Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub......in this month's issue of Bon Appetit I saw a recipe called Cocoa and Spice Slow-Roasted Pork With Onions, credited to Michael Chiarello, and I remembered his recipe that I had printed out. There are a few differences...differing amounts on salt and peppercorns and after reading the reviews on Food Network about his recipe, almost everyone said there was way too much salt. So I used Bon Appetit's recipe and changed a few things and added the sauce - which I think was divine inspiration! Who wouldn't like chocolate and cherries on pork?!?
I made enough for a crowd - and was worried that I would have too much but the leftovers were great, if not better than the night it was served. (Sorry about the picture - I did get a new camera but have yet to figure it out!)
Cocoa and Spice Slow-Roasted Pork with Cocoa Cherry Sauce - adpated from Bon Appetit, December 2007, and Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello
Spice Rub:
1/2 tablespoon whole white peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Pork and Onions:
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 5-lb. pork tenderloin
For Spice Rub: Stir peppercorns and coriander in small skillet over medium heat until spices are darker in color, about 5 minutes. Transfer to spice grinder, grind finely. Place in small bowl, mix in remaining ingredients. This can be made one week ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature if made ahead.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle spice rub on large sheet of foil. Roll pork in rub, pressing to coat. Set pork on rack in large roasting pan. Top with 1/2 of the onions; scatter remaining onions around pork in pan.
Roast pork until very tender and thermometer inserted into center registers 165 degrees, stirring onions in pan occasionally, about 6 hours. Transfer pork to platter. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve pork with onions and Cocoa Cherry Sauce.
Cocoa Cherry Sauce:
1 jar (20 oz.) Morella Tart Cherries (I purchased mine at Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup Hot Fudge Sauce (I used Hershey's)
In small saucepan, combine cherries and hot fudge sauce. Cook over medium heat until heated through, turn heat down to simmer and keep warm until ready to use, stirring occasionally.
