Brined Pork Chops With Fennel Pollen Recipes

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 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.

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.

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.

MARINATED BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add salt, sugar, sage, and garlic powder. Remove from heat and stir until mostly dissolved. Add cold water to cool the brining mixture. Place pork chops in a plastic freezer bag or other airtight container. Add brining liquid, close tightly, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with about 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Drain pork chops, discarding brine. Place chops in the prepared dish and brush lightly with remaining olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chops are no longer pink in the center and juice is clear, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

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.

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.

HERB-BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Put all the brining ingredients in a large saucepan with 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, put the chops in the brine, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 2 hrs. Remove the chops from the brine, rinse under the cold tap and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat a large griddle pan over a high heat and fry the pork chops for 3-4 mins each side or until starting to char - you may need to do this in 2 batches. Transfer to a baking tray lined with foil and roast for 10-12 mins until cooked through.

PORK CHOPS SMOTHERED WITH FENNEL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Pat chops dry with a paper towel and add to the skillet.
• Braise for 3 to 6 minutes on each side, or until they turn a nice, deep golden brown.
• Remove the fat from the skillet.
• Leaving the pork chops in the skillet, remove it from the heat and add butter, garlic, and green onions.
• Saute for 1 minute in the hot skillet.
• Return the skillet to heat and add the chicken broth, wine, and fennel.
• Bring to a boil.
• Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove the chops to an ovenproof casserole dish and cover foil lid.
• Place in the oven and let the chops continue cooking for 20 minutes.
• While the chops bake, simmer the sauce in the skillet for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced.
• In a small bowl, mix the remaining room-temperature broth with the cornstarch.
• Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve chops with sauce spooned over each portion.
• Good served with rice pilaf!
• I originally found this at Gail's Recipe Swap, posted by Cyndi who got it from "Around the Southern Table" by Sarah Belk.

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.

PORK CHOPS SMOTHERED WITH FENNEL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chops dry and add to skillet. Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown. Pour off fat.
• Remove skillet from heat (leave pork chops in skillet) and add garlic. Cook 1 minute in the hot skillet.
• Return skillet to heat and add 1 cup broth, the wine and fennel, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer covered 5 minutes.
• Remove chops to a pie plate or other ovenproof dish and cover lightly with foil (set skillet aside). Place chops in the oven and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees when placed near the bone.
• Meanwhile, simmer the sauce in the skillet 5 minutes or until reduced slightly.
• In a small cup or bowl mix remaining 1/4 cup broth (it should be cold or room temperature) with the cornstarch. Add this mixture to the sauce and boil 1 minute, or until lightly thickened. Taste, adding salt and pepper, if desired. Serve chops "smothered" with sauce.