Tuscan Roast Pork With Fennel Food

ROAST PORK WITH FENNEL & ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Crush the fennel seeds and peppercorns coarsely using a pestle and mortar. Add the garlic and some salt, and crush again to make a paste. Stir in orange zest along with the rosemary and oil.
• Rub the paste all over the pork, then cover with foil. You can now cook the pork or leave it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Thickly slice the orange and place in the base of a roasting tin with the onion. Put the pork on top and pour 600ml water into the tin. Roast the joint for 1 hr, add the wine to the tin, then roast for 1 hr more. Baste the joint a few times and add a splash more water if needed.
• Remove the joint from the oven, strain off the meat juices, tightly cover joint with foil, then leave to rest for 15 mins. Pour meat juices into a pan, add the jelly and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve it. Taste and add seasoning if necessary. Thickly slice the pork and serve with a little of the juices poured over.

TUSCAN PORK WITH FENNEL AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees F. Combine the grapes, fennel, cubed bread and 1 teaspoon each olive oil, rosemary and salt in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; roast on the upper oven rack until the grapes start to burst and the bread is golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, slice the pork crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Turn each piece cut-side up and press with your hand to flatten slightly. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary; season with salt and pepper and toss.
• Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Add the butter, sage and shallot to the skillet. Cook until the shallot softens, about 1 minute.
• Add the chicken broth to the skillet. Transfer to the bottom oven rack and roast until a thermometer inserted sideways into the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Serve the pork with the grape-fennel mixture; pour the pan juices over the top.

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.

TUSCAN-STYLE PORK ROAST (ARISTA)

Steps:

• Mince together garlic and rosemary. Stir together with sea salt in a small bowl and season with pepper. Rub 1 tablespoon garlic mixture all over pork. Beginning at 1 end of loin, make a 3/4-inch slit with a long thin knife through center of loin to other end. Stuff slit with remaining garlic mixture, pushing it through with handle of a long wooden spoon. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put loin, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2 inches into meat registers 155°F, about 2 hours. Let pork stand, loosely covered, 20 minutes.
• Discard string. Separate loin from bones and cut meat crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. If desired, serve bones cut into ribs.

ITALIAN-STYLE ROAST PORK WITH CRISPY CRACKLING

Steps:

• Pound the garlic, bay, pepper, 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbsp of the fennel seeds using a pestle and mortar, then stir in 1 tbsp oil. Place the pork, skin-side up, in a clean sink and pour over a kettleful of boiling water (this tightens the skin - the first step towards great crackling). Drain, pat dry and place, skin-side down, on a chopping board. Rub the garlicky paste all over it, then roll up the loin and tie it at intervals with kitchen string. Arrange the onion and lemon in the centre of a roasting tin and sit the pork on top, skin-side up. Rub the rind with the remaining salt and leave at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 hr.
• Heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Rub the skin of the pork with the remaining oil. Lightly crush the remaining fennel seeds and scatter over the meat. Roast for 30 mins, then turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and continue to roast for 1 hr 20 mins. Remove the pork, cover loosely and leave to rest for 30 mins. If your crackling isn't crisp, pop the joint under a hot grill for a few mins, but watch it as it will burn very easily.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy. Tip away all but 1 tbsp of fat from the tin and put on the hob. Add the flour and mix with the onion and lemon, scraping any bits from the bottom. Pour in the Marsala and let it bubble, then gradually add the stock and any of the resting juices, and simmer gently for 8-10 mins. Season, if needed, and strain through a sieve before serving.

ROAST PORK WITH FENNEL, CHILES, AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Rub pork all over with salt. Coarsely grind seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle; rub all over pork. Bring pork to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rub pork with oil to coat generously. Roast until sizzling, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Baste pork, and roast until center reaches 145 degrees, about 30 minutes more. Let pork rest 15 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, toss fennel and chiles with just enough oil to coat; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until tender and lightly browned on bottom, 25 to 30 minutes. Add olives, and roast until hot, about 5 minutes. Toss together; serve with pork.

TUSCAN PORK ROAST

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary, oil and salt; cover and process until mixture becomes a paste. Rub over the roast; cover and let stand for 30 minutes. , Place roast fat side up on a greased baking rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let meat stand for 10 minutes before slicing.