Ingredients

1 cup ground pecans
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper flakes
2 large eggs
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Toasted French bread rounds
2 cups baby arugula leaves
Herbed Cream Cheese Spread, recipe follows
Balsamic Strawberry Sauce, recipe follows
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish, optional

Herbed Cream Cheese Spread:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic Strawberry Sauce:
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease foil.

In a shallow dish, combine the pecans, bread crumbs, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper.

In a separate shallow dish, lightly beat the eggs. Dip the tenderloins in the eggs to coat. Dredge them in the pecan mixture, completely covering the tenderloins. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 155 degrees F, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the tenderloins from the oven to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Spread Herbed Cream Cheese Spread evenly over bread rounds. Top each with arugula. Put 1 slice of pork tenderloin over the arugula. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the Balsamic Strawberry Sauce over the pork. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired, and serve immediately.

Herbed Cream Cheese Spread:

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, thyme and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Balsamic Strawberry Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Add it to the strawberry mixture, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen