Topic: Fennel and pork anyone?

[GrannieAnnie]

Do any of you eat fennel with pork? I never hhave and was wondering if this would taste good. I cannot quite figure anise flavored pork...


2 tsp. fennel seed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 1-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork loin chops (about 12 oz. each), trimmed
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 medium fennel bulbs (2 lb.), trimmed, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips, plus 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fronds
3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Lightly crush the fennel seed in a mortar and pestle or with the bottom of a small skillet. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Season the pork chops with 3 tsp. of the spice mixture.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Stir in the fresh fennel, 1/2 cup of the broth, and the remaining spice mixture. Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel begins to soften and brown, 8 to 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the fennel browns too quickly).

Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining 1/4 cup broth and 2 Tbs. of the parsley. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining parsley and the fronds, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a medium bowl.

Wipe out the pan, add the oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook, turning once with tongs, until well browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (To check for doneness, make a small cut near the bone and look inside.the pork should still have a hint of pinkness.) Serve the pork chops with the fennel.

[valmarg]

I should have to say, it wouldn't be a marriage I would particularly appreciate, but then fennel is not a flavour I particularly like.

Theres the old adage 'don't knock it till you've tried it'.  I can understand your being hesitant.  I wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly good pork chop on the offchance I might actually like it.

I can understand your dilemma, but afraid I can't be more helpful.

valmarg

[goodlife]

Now I haven't had fennel and pork..but we used to have in school dill pork ..ohhh...everybody hated it..but now I loooove it.. ;D
Looking at the recipe..I think you have to like aniseed flavour to start with...do you?..and in savoury dish..
I know some like fennel with fish ::)... :-X..I like aniseed flavour with cough medicine..or sweets..

[Obelixx]

The Chinese use star anise with pork and that's a similar aniseedy flavour so why not give this a try?

I've done pork fillet rolled in crushed fennel seed and that was good. 

I usually keep fennel bulbs as a vegetarian dish served baked with goats cheese, sundried tomatoes and pine kernels or baked with parmesan or chopped as part of roast Mediterranean style veg with peppers, onions, tomaoes, mushrooms and courgettes plus garlic, herbs and a bit of oilve oil.

[GrannieAnnie]

The Chinese use star anise with pork and that's a similar aniseedy flavour so why not give this a try?

I've done pork fillet rolled in crushed fennel seed and that was good. 

I usually keep fennel bulbs as a vegetarian dish served baked with goats cheese, sundried tomatoes and pine kernels or baked with parmesan or chopped as part of roast Mediterranean style veg with peppers, onions, tomaoes, mushrooms and courgettes plus garlic, herbs and a bit of oilve oil.

Oh, you are the adventuresome cook, Obbie!
 I'll have to get out of my usual rut. It must be another sign of old age creeping in- cooking like one has always cooked. It will be a nice change from winter squash ;D

[Denzle]

I like whole Fennel baked with cheese over the top.  I love the taste.

Fennel and pork....Why not.  Depends if its to your liking.  You will never know untill you try it.    :-\    ;)

If apple goes with pork, why not fennal.   :-\   ;D

[jennym]

There's a person I know makes brilliant sausages seasoned with fennel and black pepper. To be honest I only bought some by accident, as I didnt fancy the way the taste sounded either but they are very good.

[Obelixx]

Fennel seed in pork sausages taste wonderful.  My local supermarket calls them Italian sausages - pure pork, seasoning, fennel seeds and a bit or parmesan cheese.   Yum.

Sometimes I do Nigel Slater's pork burghers with a seasoning of crushed fennel seeds in too.

[1066]

2 tsp. fennel seed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 1-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork loin chops (about 12 oz. each), trimmed

GA - I had to smile at the "Kosher salt" for a pork dish  ;)  :D  :D

[antipodes]

Me! I slice them into 1 cm slices and put them around a pork roast. It seems to soak in the juices and does not have such a pronounced aniseed flavour, Actually I don't like fennel much, but like that it's really nice, and tastes good with applesauce too.

[GrannieAnnie]

 :)Never caught the Kosher salt slip :D

Thank you for the responses. I'll try out the recipe.