Brined Pork Chops With Fennel Food

BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Make the brine: Put salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and fennel seeds in a bowl. Whisk in 4 cups water to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Put pork chops in one layer in a glass or plastic container. Pour brine over to completely submerge chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, up to overnight. Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Discard brine.
• Cook the chops: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Set a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add olive oil. When oil is wavy, add chops in one layer and let brown for about 3 minutes per side.
• Remove chops from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-high and add sliced onion and fennel, stirring to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed fennel seeds and turn off heat.
• Lay the chops on top of the onion-fennel mixture (alternatively, transfer all of it to a baking dish) and place pan, uncovered, in oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the internal temperature of chops is 140 degrees.
• Remove chops and let rest for about 5 minutes. Transfer onion-fennel mixture to a platter and keep warm. Cut chops into 1/8-inch slices and add to platter. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with lemon wedges.

BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine water and salt, stirring until salt dissolves.
• Add next 3 ingredients (sugar- vanilla), stir until sugar dissolves.
• Stir in ice and add pork chops.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• Drain and remove pork chops from brine.
• Discard brine.
• Combine next 7 ingredients (sage-garlic), rub both sides of pork chops with spice mixture.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Place flour in large plastic bag and add chops, shake well to coat chops.
• Place chops on plate before frying.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add chops, cook 5-10 minutes per side, depending on degree of doneness desired and thickness of chops.

PORK THREE WAYS: BRINED PORK CHOPS, FENNEL-FONTINA SAUSAGE, AND SWISS CHARD WITH BACON AND FENNEL OVER POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• For the brine: In a large container, add the salt, sugar, coriander, red pepper flakes, fennel, celery, garlic, and enough water to cover the chops and stir to combine. Submerge the pork chops in the brine and let sit in the refrigerator until ready to cook, at least 30 minutes.
• Bring the chops to room temperature before cooking. Remove the chops from the brine, discarding the brine.
• For the chops: Preheat a cast iron pan.
• Roll the fat edge of each pork chop in the fennel pollen. Place the pork chops gently in the heated pan.
• Sear the chops on all sides and cook for about 9 minutes. Remove the chops from the pan and let rest in a warm place before serving. The doneness of the meat should be about medium to medium-well and be very juicy.
• For the fennel-fontina sausage: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the pork shoulder with the garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, and coriander. Grind the pork twice through the large grind of a stand mixer fitted with a meat grinder attachment. Gently stir in the cheese. Add the cold water and mix lightly. Stuff the ground pork into a casing using the sausage horn attachment to the stand mixer and twist off into evenly sized links. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat a saute pan and drizzle with olive oil. Remove the sausages from the oven and brown them in the pan.
• For the Swiss chard: Coat a saute pan with olive oil. Toss in the garlic, red pepper flakes, bacon, and a couple drops olive oil. Bring the pan to medium heat. When the garlic is golden and very aromatic, remove it and discard.
• When the bacon has become crispy, toss in the Swiss chard stems and fennel and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, as needed, and season with salt. When the chicken stock has reduced, toss in the Swiss chard leaves and season with salt. Cook the leaves until they are just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
• For the polenta cakes: In a saucepan, combine the milk, water, bay leaf, and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and season generously with salt. (Take the seasoning to the edge of too salty. To do this you must taste as you go. Polenta acts as a salt eraser, if you don't season abundantly here you will never recover from it.)
• Once the liquid is at a boil and is seasoned appropriately, sprinkle in the polenta, whisking constantly. Once the polenta is combined, switch over to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until the polenta has become thick. Taste the polenta to see if it has cooked through. If it still feels mealy and grainy, add some more milk or water and cook it to a thick consistency. Repeat this process, as needed, until the polenta feels smooth on your tongue, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the chopped sage and mascarpone.
• Line a 7 by 7-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Pour the polenta into the prepared pan. Cover the top with more plastic wrap smoothed onto the surface of the polenta. Chill in the refrigerator until needed. (All of this can totally be done ahead of time, like yesterday! Cool!)
• Remove the polenta from the pan and cut into desired shapes. Coat a nonstick saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot and starting to smoke just a little, add the polenta shapes. Cook the polenta on both sides and finish by sprinkling with a little bit of grated Parmigiano.
• For plating: Place 1 polenta cake on each plate and top with Swiss chard and bacon. Lean 1 chop on each polenta cake. Slice the sausages on the bias and plate 2 slices on each plate. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH FENNEL POLLEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 quarts water with the salt, sugar, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper, bay leaves, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. (The amount of salt and sugar you use depends on your personal taste.) Submerge the pork chops in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days (if you don't have 2 days, at least brine the chops overnight). Remove the chops from the brine, discard the brine, and cook these bad boys!
• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• Roll the fat edge of each pork chop in the fennel pollen.
• Place the chops on the grill over medium-high heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Rotate the chops 90 degrees to create beautiful crosshatched grill marks; continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chops over and repeat this process on the second side. If the chops start to burn, move them to a cooler part of the grill. Stand the chops up and grill the fat edge-you want to get it nice and crispy and release the lovely aroma of the fennel pollen. Remove the chops from the grill and let them rest in a warm place for 8 to 10 minutes before serving. The meat should be pink in the middle and very juicy.
• ANNE ALERT!
• This is a plan-ahead recipe! The brine takes a couple of days, but it's really worth the effort.

BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH SOFT PARMIGIANO POLENTA

Steps:

• For the brine:
• To make the brine: In a large container, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine. Submerse the pork chops in the brine and refrigerate for 3 days. After 3 days remove the chops from the brine, discarding the brine.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan. Roll the fat edge of each pork chop with the fennel pollen. Place porks chop gently on the preheated grill or grill pan. After 3 to 4 minutes rotate the chops 90 degrees to create lovely grill marks. Grill the chops for another 3 to 4 minutes and then turn over and repeat the process. If the chops seem to be burning move the chops to a cooler part of the grill to allow for longer cooking time without burning. Stand the chops up so the fat edge is in contact with the grill to crisp up the fat edge, this will also make the fennel pollen very aromatic. Remove the chops from the grill and let rest in a warm place before serving. The doneness of the meat should be about medium to medium well and very juicy. Serve with polenta.
• In a medium size saucepan, bring the milk, water and bay leaf to a boil. Season generously with salt, almost to the point of over seasoning. How do you know that you are there? TASTE IT! When it has reached a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta in small sprinkles. Once all of the polenta has been incorporated, reduce heat to medium and immediately switch over to stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta for 30 to 40 minutes, adding water if the polenta becomes too thick to loosen it up.
• When the polenta is thoroughly cooked, it should look creamy and not feel gritty on your tongue. Remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmigiano and mascarpone. Serve it immediately, or place a sheet of plastic wrap right on the surface of the polenta to prevent a skin from forming on the top.
• To reheat: Add a little water to the polenta and heat over low to medium heat stirring constantly to prevent burning.

QUICK BRINED PORK CHOPS, GRILLED WITH INDIAN SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Grind fennel in a spice grinder.
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl except sugar.
• Place in a cold sauté pan.
• Turn heat to medium and heat/toast spices just until fragrant.
• DO NOT BURN.
• Remove from pan allow to cool to room temperature and add the sugar.
• Set aside.
• (can be made in advance and stored, tightly covered) Dissolve salt and sugar in COLD water.
• Pour into a two gallon zip lock type bag and add the chops.
• (Or divide evenly between smaller bags) Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.
• Refrigerate for about an hour, turning occasionally.
• Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Coat with spice mixture and massage into the meat.
• Allow to sit with rub while preparing the grill.
• Prepare Grill to very hot.
• (Gas grill pre-heat 10-15 minutes) if using a gas grill turn off one burner, if using charcoal, move coals to one side of the grill.
• Place chops on the very hot side of the grill, cover and cook until browned on each side (approx 3-4 min per side) then move over to the cooler side of the grill to continue cooking.
• Turning once until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees (approx 7-9 minutes longer) remove from heat and allow to rest at least 5 minutes.
• (Internal temp will rise to about 145 degrees) Serve.

PORK CHOPS WITH FENNEL AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss fennel, carrots, onion, and garlic with 3 tablespoons oregano and 4 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned in spots, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano. In batches, cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer 2 pork chops and 1 cup roasted vegetables to separate airtight containers; refrigerate, up to 3 days. Serve 4 pork chops with remaining vegetables and lemon wedges.

FENNEL PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Sprinkle garlic salt on both sides of the pork chops. The garlic salt should pretty well cover the chops. Don't be skimpy, but at the same time, don't put on too much.
• Pour a little olive oil or other cooking oil into a skillet. Put the pork chops in the frying pan and sprinkle fennel seeds on top of the pork chops: 10 to 15 fennel seeds per pork chop will probably do. Let the underside of the pork chop brown then turn over. Once both sides are browned, flip again.
• Pour the wine into frying pan; cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes and flip the pork chops over. Cover them again and let them simmer for another 10 minutes. Make sure the wine doesn't completely evaporate or the pork chops will burn. You may have to add a little more wine or water to the pan.

BRINE-CURED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients except the water, pork chops and olive oil in a large glass, ceramic or plastic container. Add the boiling water and stir to completely dissolve the sugar and salt. Stir in the cold water to cool the brine.
• Lay the chops out in 1 layer in a large nonreactive pan and completely cover them with the brine. If a chop floats to the surface, weigh it down with a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how much flavor you want the meat to acquire. (If the chops must be stacked, change their positions in the brine often.)
• Heat a grill or broiler. Drain the pork chops, discarding the brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the chops with the oil and grill or broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Put the chops on a rack in a pan to catch the drippings and loosely cover with foil. Set aside in a warm place for 6 to 8 minutes and serve.

FENNEL-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH QUINCE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• For the brine: Bring all the ingredients to a simmer in a saucepan. Transfer to a bowl and chill the brine quickly by placing the bowl in an ice bath. Put the chops in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the chilled brine-it should cover the chops-then cover the container and refrigerate overnight. Remove the chops from the brine, pat dry, and bring to room temperature before roasting.
• For the chutney: In a saucepan, combine the wine, sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the quince, stir to moisten, and return to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until the quince is tender but not mushy, about 12 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the chops. Cook until nicely browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the chops with tongs, reduce the heat slightly, and sear on the second side, about 2 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven. Roast until the chops register 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes longer. (Insert the thermometer horizontally to get an accurate reading.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle.
• To serve, transfer the chops to individual dinner plates or a serving platter. Spoon some of the chutney over them, or pass the chutney separately. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve or another barrel-fermented Chardonnay.