Herbed Fennel And Onion Food

SNAPPER WITH FENNEL, ONION AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pat the fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions and fennel until tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and herbes de Provence and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, another 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice and let bubble for 1 minute.
• Nestle the fish fillets into the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and top each with a pat of butter. Place into the oven and cook until the fish is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Broil just until a bit crusty, about 1 more minute. Squeeze lemon juice on the fish and serve.

FENNEL, RED ONION, AND PARSLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a large ice-water bath. Put parsley, fennel, and onion in a colander, and set in ice-water bath. Let soak 10 minutes.
• Drain, and transfer to a salad spinner. Spin until dry, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add lemon juice, oil, and celery seeds; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

ROAST LOIN OF PORK WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• With a mortar and pestle, or in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, grind together the garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and thyme leaves. Add the mustard. Spread the mixture over the loin of pork and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the fennel bulbs in thick wedges, cutting through the core. Toss the fennel, carrots, potatoes, and onions in a bowl with the olive oil, melted butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Place the vegetables in a large roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes. Add the pork loin to the pan and continue to cook for another 30 to 50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the pork reads exactly 138 degrees. Remove the meat from the pan and return the vegetables to the oven to keep cooking. Cover the meat with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the strings from the meat and slice it thickly. Arrange the meat and vegetables on a platter. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm.

HERBED SPICY SAUSAGE AND FENNEL BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard basil and stir in the chopped basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the fennel to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat slightly if necessary, until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel to the bowl with the sausage.
• Cook the rigatoni in the water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, half of the fontina and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining fontina and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

LOIN OF PORK WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the stuffing, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the onions and fennel with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook over low to medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and fennel are tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Pernod and cook for another minute, deglazing the pan. Cool slightly.
• Add the bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon of salt to the stuffing mixture. Lay the pork on a board fat side down, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing evenly on the pork and roll up lengthwise, ending with the fat on the top of the roll. Tie with kitchen string, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
• Place the rolled pork loin on a baking rack on a sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the interior of the pork is 137 degrees F. (If the thermometer hits stuffing rather than pork, it will register a higher temperature, so test the meat in several places.) Remove from the oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the strings, slice thickly, and serve.

SKILLET ROASTED LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and process until ground. Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in the herb mixture, and set aside.
• Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top.
• Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with about half the oil and herb mixture. Turn the chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!), and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.
• Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken!) and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160 degrees.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice and the leaves of 1 rosemary sprig, cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters, and serve hot with the pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.

FENNEL & HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• For the stuffing, toast the bread cubes in a shallow baking dish at 400 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown.
• Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Add the sausage and cook until brown and crumbly, stirring frequently.
• Add the fennel, onion, and fennel seeds.
• Cook for 10 minutes or until fennel and onion are tender, stirring frequently.
• Add the bell peppers, thyme, marjoram and sage.
• Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the bell peppers are tender, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the wine.
• Cook until reduced by three-fourths.
• Add with stock and 1/4 cup olive oil to the bread crumbs in a large bowl and mix well.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon evenly into a buttered 7 1/2 x 11-inch baking pan.
• Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Bake, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.