Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows

Cajun Charred Pork with Bell Pepper Sauce

Name: Cajun Charred Pork with Bell Pepper Sauce
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Prep. Time:

Baking Time:

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

4 servings

Ashleigh created this dish for Tournament of Champions Season 7. A blackened pork loin — coated in a Cajun spice rub and seared in a screaming-hot cast iron — is served over a vibrant charred tri-colour bell pepper sauce with lime, alongside a charred pepper and red onion medley. Alex Guarnaschelli...

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Ingredients

FOR THE CAJUN SPICE RUB
Smoked paprika – 4g / 1½ tsp
Garlic powder – 3g / 1 tsp
Onion powder – 3g / 1 tsp
Dried oregano – 1g / ½ tsp
Dried thyme – 1g / ½ tsp
Cayenne pepper – 1g / ½ tsp (adjust to heat preference)
Black pepper, freshly ground – 1g / ½ tsp
Salt – 5g / 1 tsp

FOR THE BLACKENED PORK LOIN
Pork loin – 700g / 1½ lb, trimmed of silverskin
Butter or oil – 30g / 2 tbsp (applied to the protein, not the pan)
Cajun spice rub – all of the above

FOR THE CHARRED BELL PEPPER SAUCE
Red bell pepper – 1 large
Orange bell pepper – 1 large
Green bell pepper – 1 large
Fresh ginger, sliced – 15g / 1-inch piece, charred with the peppers
Olive oil – 30ml / 2 tbsp
Lime juice – 30ml / 2 tbsp
Cajun seasoning – 1.5g / ½ tsp
Salt – to taste

FOR THE CHARRED PEPPER & RED ONION MEDLEY
Bell peppers (mixed colours) – 2 large, cut into strips
Red onion – 1 medium, cut into thick rings
Jalapeño – 1, halved (seeds optional)
Olive oil – 15ml / 1 tbsp

FOR THE HERB FINISH
Fresh cilantro – 10g / ¼ cup, roughly torn
Fresh flat-leaf parsley – 5g / 2 tbsp, roughly torn
Fresh mint leaves – 3g / 6–8 leaves
Lime zest – 1 lime, finely grated
Flaky sea salt – pinch

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Instructions

MIX THE CAJUN SPICE RUB
Combine all spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. This is the foundation Alex Guarnaschelli called "literally divine" — a classic Cajun blackening blend built on smoked paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme and cayenne. The heat level is adjustable: half a teaspoon of cayenne gives moderate warmth; increase to a full teaspoon for proper fire.

PREPARE AND BLACKEN THE PORK LOIN
Trim the pork loin of any silverskin. Cut into 5cm / 2-inch thick medallions for even cooking and maximum crust-to-interior ratio. Brush the medallions generously with melted butter or oil — Ashleigh's key detail was applying the fat to the protein, not the pan, so the butter melts into the spice rub as it hits the heat rather than burning on contact. Coat heavily with the Cajun spice rub on all sides. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan to smoking hot. Sear the pork for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep, dark crust forms. The interior should reach 63°C / 145°F for juicy, slightly pink pork. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias into overlapping shingles.

CHAR THE PEPPERS AND GINGER FOR THE SAUCE
While the pork rests, halve and deseed the three bell peppers for the sauce. Place cut-side down on a screaming-hot grill, grill pan or directly over a gas flame. Char until the skin is blackened and blistered all over, 5–7 minutes. Char the ginger slices alongside. There is no need to peel — the charred skin adds flavour and colour to the sauce.

BLEND THE CHARRED BELL PEPPER SAUCE
Place the charred peppers, charred ginger, olive oil, lime juice and Cajun seasoning in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season with salt. The sauce should be vibrant, slightly smoky and bright with lime. Alex praised the lime as "a restrained choice" that was "paying off in spades" — the acidity lifts the smoky sweetness of the peppers without competing.

CHAR THE PEPPER & RED ONION MEDLEY
Cut the remaining bell peppers into wide strips and the red onion into thick rings. Halve the jalapeño. Toss everything with olive oil and a pinch of Cajun seasoning. Grill or pan-char over high heat until deeply blistered and slightly softened but still with bite, 3–4 minutes. A grill pan, cast iron skillet or open grill all work well. The medley provides textural contrast to the smooth sauce.

MAKE THE FRESH HERB FINISH
Toss the torn cilantro, parsley and mint with the lime zest and flaky sea salt just before serving. This is the addition addressing Dominique Crenn's critique that the dish was "missing some floral or some herb element." Cilantro adds brightness, parsley provides green freshness, and mint delivers the floral note Dominique requested. The lime zest adds aromatic lift.

PLATE WITH INTENTION
Spread a generous pool of the charred bell pepper sauce across the centre of each warm plate in one confident stroke. Arrange the sliced pork in overlapping shingles along the sauce, showing the contrast between the dark charred crust and the pink interior. Place the charred pepper and onion medley in deliberate clusters alongside. Scatter the herb finish generously over and around everything. Finish with a few drops of olive oil and a final squeeze of lime.