Toasted Fennel Spice Rub Food

FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

TOASTED SPICE RUB - MICHAEL CHIARELLO

Steps:

• Read this recipe all the way through before beginning, get your spices and equipment (skillet, plate, blender, alternate method grinder, and storing container) ready.
• In a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the fennel, coriander, and peppercorns.
• Watch carefully, because when the fennel turns a light brown you're going to work quickly: turn on the hood exhaust fan on your stove, then add the red pepper flakes and stir well for 30 seconds.
• Turn the mixture onto a plate to cool.
• When cool, place mixture in a blender together with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon; blend until all are evenly ground.
• (Alternately, you can use a spice mill/coffee grinder/mortar and pestle to grind the fennel, coriander, peppercorns, and chili flakes, then toss resultant powder with the remaining ingredients).
• Transfer the spice rub into a glass jar and store in a cool, dry place; you can also freeze the mixture.
• Note: if you prefer a mixture that is less spicy-hot, make sure you use mild California chili powder and/or begin with fewer red pepper flakes, then add to your preference; California chiles in powder are generally less hot and more sweet.
• On chicken: sear a chicken in a little olive oil, let cool, pat the rub generously over the bird, then roast it.
• Use as dry rub or dry marinade: rub into meat or poultry, refrigerate 4 hours, bring to room temperature, then roast, pan-sear, or grill.
• Finishing rub: blend with just enough olive oil to make a paste, then use as a marinade or to finish grilled steaks and seafood.
• Other uses: toss with vegetables before pan-roasting, or add to soups and stews.

WHOLE ROASTED TURKEYS WITH FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove necks and giblets and put into a large saucepan. Add onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and let simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Strain and reserve; this is the turkey stock that you will use for the gravy.
• Wash the turkeys, inside and out, and dry well. Coat inside and out with half of the olive oil. Season each turkey on the outside generously with the spice rub, pressing it in to adhere. Place 4 rosemary sprigs and 2 lemon halves inside the cavity of each turkey.
• Arrange 4 of the halved carrots and 4 celery stalks on each of 2 half-sheet pans or baking sheets. Position each turkey on top of the carrots and celery so that the turkey does not rest directly on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle turkeys with remaining olive oil.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 165 degrees F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours; begin checking at 2 hours. Remove from the pans and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy.
• While turkeys are resting, make the gravy. In a medium heavy saucepan, cook flour and butter over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a blond roux is formed. Add pan juices and then reserved turkey stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened and ready to serve.
• Carve turkey as desired and serve with gravy.
• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

TOASTED SPICE RUB ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Blanch the almonds in boiling water, until the skins peel off.
• Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over moderate heat and cook until it turns light brown and smells nutty. Add the almonds and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, over moderate heat until the almonds begin to color, about 5 minutes, coat and toss in the spice mix thoroughly. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the almonds are medium-brown, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, taste for flavor, add more spice mix or salt, if necessary. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a sheet pan; they will crisp as they cool. Store the cooled almonds in an airtight container at room temperature. (See Cook's Note)
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
• Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• Taste your chili powder and, if too spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chiles are almost sweet, not hot.

ROASTED PORK WITH FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• PORK: Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sage and cook until the onions stop releasing water (about 3 minutes). Add the water, cover and cook until the onions are very tender (about 10 minutes). Uncover and saute until the onions are very soft and the pan is dry again (about 2 minutes). Season well with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Peel back the pork skin and spread the onions directly on the fat layer. Fold the skin back over the onions and tie closed with kitchen string. Season well all over with the Fennel spice. Arrange the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and cook until the meat is very tender (approx. 6-8 hours). The meat is ready when it pulls away easily if picked at with a pair of tongs. It is often easiest to cook the meat overnight or put it in the oven in the morning and let it cook all day - it doesn't need to be attended.
• FENNEL SPICE RUB: Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light-brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding or they will gum up the blades. Pour the seeds into a blender or spice grinder and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender or grinder occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly-sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

TOASTED SPICED HAM DRIZZLED IN HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place ham on an open brown paper bag for easy clean up. With the tip of a paring knife carefully score a 1-inch grid pattern around the outside of the ham. Brush the entire surface of the meat on all sides with some of the honey.
• Season the entire surface of the meat on all sides with the toasted spice rub and thyme. Add about a half cup of water to the base of the roaster. Place ham on several celery sticks in the roasting pan.
• Cook for 1 hour. Every 15 minutes, baste ham with juices that collect in the base of the roaster and the honey. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving as desired.
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. (Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor.) When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan; add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the sweet chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground.
• If you have a small spice mill blender or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• *Chef's Tip: Taste your chili powder and, if spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chiles are almost sweet, not hot.
• Yield: 1 cup

FENNEL SPICE RUB FOR TURKEY (MICHAEL CHIARELLO)

Steps:

• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat.
• Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly.
• When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool.
• They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt.
• Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds.
• Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• Note: There's a chicken salad recipe by Michael Chiarello that uses up some of the leftover spice mix:.
• n a large bowl, combine shredded cooked chicken, celery, red onion, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons Fennel Spice, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more oil, lemon juice, or Fennel Spice, if desired. Add the basil and serve.

PORK LOIN ROAST WITH FENNEL-GARLIC RUB

Steps:

• Prepare the rub:
• Mince and mash garlic, salt, and thyme to make a paste with a large heavy knife and transfer to a small bowl.
• Grind fennel seeds and peppercorns in spice grinder until finely ground and stir into garlic paste.
• Rub paste all over meat and fat side of roast, pressing to adhere. Place, fat side up, in a small roasting pan or a (13- by 9-inch) baking pan and marinate in the fridge, loosely covered, for at least to 2 and up to 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting.
• Roast the pork loin:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put roast in a small roasting pan fat side up (if it isn't in roasting pan already) and pour wine and water into bottom of pan.
• Roast pork in middle of oven (or lower third if making whole menu) until an instant read thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 140°F, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
• Remove roast from oven and let rest, loosely covered with foil, in roasting pan 25 to 30 minutes (internal temperature will go up 10 degrees while meat is resting).
• Transfer the roast to a cutting board, and using a long knife, cut meat from bone in one piece. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices, keeping slices together.
• Transfer the bones to a large serving platter and arrange meat on the bone.
• Heat juices in roasting pan until bubbling, then add butter and whisk into pan until incorporated.
• Serve sauce alongside meat.