Double-Fennel Pork Chops
Both fennel seed and sauteed fresh fennel bring big flavor to simple pork chops.
Ingredients
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2 teaspoons fennel seed
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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4 1-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork loin chops (about 12 ounces each), trimmed
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 medium fennel bulbs (2 pounds), trimmed, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips, plus 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fronds
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3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth
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3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
1.
Lightly crush the fennel seed in a mortar and pestle or with the bottom of a small skillet. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season the pork chops with 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture.
2.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Stir in the fresh fennel, 1/2 cup of the broth, and the remaining spice mixture. Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel begins to soften and brown, 8 to 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the fennel browns too quickly).
3.
Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining 1/4 cup broth and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining parsley and the fronds, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a medium bowl.
4.
Wipe out the pan, add the oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook, turning once with tongs, until well browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (To check for doneness, make a small cut near the bone and look inside the pork should still have a hint of pinkness.) Serve the pork chops with the fennel.
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