Tuscan Pork With Fennel And Grapes Food

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH FENNEL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss garlic, fennel, and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes.
• Rub pork with remaining tablespoon oil; season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Remove baking sheet from oven, and push fennel and garlic to sides of sheet. Place pork in center, and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 145 degrees.
• Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest at least 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Serve pork with fennel and garlic.

TUSCAN ROAST PORK WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Toss the garlic, chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and the red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Make 3/4-inch-deep cuts between the rib bones of the pork. Stuff some of the garlic mixture into each cut. Rub the lemon halves over the pork, then rub with the remaining garlic mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring the pork to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Cut each fennel bulb in half, then cut each half into wedges. Scatter the fennel and rosemary sprigs in a medium roasting pan (it's best if the roast fits snugly in the pan). Place the pork in the roasting pan on top of the fennel, fat side up, and roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 1 hour, 45 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter or cutting board and cover loosely with foil; let rest 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, turn the fennel wedges and return the pan to the oven. Continue roasting until the fennel is caramelized, about 15 minutes. Cut the pork into chops and serve with the fennel.

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.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH ROASTED GRAPES AND MASHED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• For the Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Grapes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook the bacon lardon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and drain on a towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon for the potatoes. Reserve the skillet with bacon fat to cook the pork.
• Toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder.
• Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Return the large skillet with bacon fat to medium-high heat. Place the pork in the pan and cook on all sides until rich golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan, dust the pork with the toasted ground fennel seeds, and place on a sheet pan fitted with a rack. Roast in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F, about 14 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes until ready to serve.
• Drain the fat from the skillet and place over medium-low heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt then pour in the port and scrape with a wooden spoon to release the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the grapes and cook the grapes until they split and let out their juices, about 10 minutes.
• Add half of the chicken stock, let it reduce slightly, then add the remaining stock and let cook until sauce is reduced by half and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.
• For the Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot and cover with cool water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return the cooked potatoes to the pot.
• Add the heavy cream and butter and combine with a hand mixer until smooth. Mash with a potato masher. Add the brown sugar, heavy cream and cumin and mix with a spatula to combine. Season to taste with salt. Add the cayenne, cumin, light brown sugar, reserved bacon and some salt and fold to combine.
• Slice the pork on a bias. Serve with the sweet potatoes and top with the grapes, sauce and chives.

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.

PORK CHOPS WITH FENNEL AND CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the pan and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.
• Add the fennel, shallots, and 1/3 cup parsley to the pan and cook over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the pork back into the pan, nestling the chops between the fennel and tomatoes so they are mostly submerged in the pan juices. Cook until the fennel is tender and the pork is done, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Place the pork on a serving dish. To finish the sauce, add the lemon zest, remaining 1/3 cup parsley, capers, and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Spoon over the pork chops and serve immediately.