Meaty Monday: Braised Pork Chops with Fennel, Tomatoes & Potatoes

It was 80º here two weeks ago, and we'll likely have our first light frost at the end of the week. Doesn't seem fair. I haven't even brought in all my houseplants yet. The ONLY thing I like about the coming winter is the hearty, comforting food. I'll just console myself with dishes like this lovely one-pot dinner  of pork chops and fennel until spring comes. Or the seed catalogs arrive...

Last year I made a slightly different version of this dish, but I think it was  too herbal, so bear with me. This is a meal that's quick to prepare, reheats well, and is so, so satisfying on a cold night with a glass of beer. Contrary to popular belief, the flavor of anise is even better in savory dishes than it is in sweet things. It's actually not as intense here as it would seem; it melds beautifully into the herbal background and lets the flavor of the pork shine.

This is a wonderful, aromatic one-pot meal, and a green vegetable or a salad will round it out nicely.  The dish gluten free, so if you want to serve bread on the side, choose accordingly to the needs of those at your table. Depending on how you feel about potatoes, you may want to modify this for a paleo dinner, and again, if you omit the potatoes, it would be a good low carb or Atkins-type meal.

We'll just serve ourselves from the pan tonight because I'm L-A-Z-Y.

Braised Pork Chops with Fennel,  Tomatoes & Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
4 boneless center-cut pork chops (heritage if possible), 1" thick, salted and peppered
1 large onion, diced
1 large fennel bulb, cored, sliced, both white and green parts
Fennel fronds reserved for garnish
3 cups small, yellow potatoes, halved or quartered
2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes , OR 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 cup chicken stock
pinch hot red pepper flakes
2T Italian seasoning
2T Anisette liqueur or Pernod
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil on medium heat in a large, deep covered sauté pan until is begins to shimmer and smoke and add the pork chops. Brown the chops, about 4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed.

2. Remove the chops to a plate and set aside, leaving any fat in the pan. Add the onions, fennel bulb, and potatoes. Salt lightly, and cook until the onions and fennel begin to soften. Add the tomatoes,  stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the stock, the red pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the Anisette liqueur.  Bring to a simmer and stir well.

3. Add the chops and any accumulated juices from the plate, return the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook about an hour, until the pork is very tender. Place the chops on a serving platte, and spoon the vegetables and juices over it all. Garnish with the fennel fronds.

Quick, Creamy, Cast Iron Pan Potato Gratin

Quick, Creamy, Cast-Iron Pan Potato Gratin

This winter is becoming known as the winter that dragged on into summer. Honestly, this time last year I was planting stuff, and this year I haven't even raked anything yet. I want to be cooking and writing about spring food, but, since it's snowing (again), we're still craving soothing, creamy, cozy food. I don't know about you, but right about now, my patience is wearing thin with long drawn out recipes, and I just want to be able to grill. Outside. On our Big Green Egg. Even Chuck, who's not exactly Mr. Nature Boy, is starting to hate this icy, gray weather.

We had to settle for a flank steak grilled indoors, our nod to spring, and backed it up with a fast version of a potato gratin, like scalloped potatoes, made in a cast iron skillet from start to finish, in less than an hour. This should serve 4, but these are so good we polished them off between the two of us. Too good to leave any leftovers.

You could use any sort of frying pan, not just cast iron, as long as it is ovenproof and about 9" or 10" in diameter.  Cast iron, however does the best job, and has enough rustic charm to come to the table. Lodge makes great pre-seasoned pans, made here in American that you should start collecting, because no kitchen is complete without a few good cast iron pans. While the gratin bakes, you can grill your steak, or relax with a glass of wine and watch the tulips grow. If its spring where you are. If you're here, just watch it snow.

Note: A mandoline will make slicing the potatoes and onions fast and easy. I recommend this one as its simple to adjust and clean, and stays sharp thanks to the ceramic blade. Just remember to use the hand guard. And if you have a Microplane zester / grater, use it on the cheese to get a fine cloud of cheese to spread evenly over the top of the gratin.You can make this gluten free by omitting the flour, but the end result won't be as creamy.

Quick Creamy One-Pan Potato Gratin

1T unsalted butter
4 med - large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
1 small yellow onion, peeled, and sliced into 1/8" rounds
3T Wondra or AP (All Purpose) flour
1-1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
salt, nutmeg and fresh ground pepper
1 oz, Parmesan or Romano finely grated

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a 9" or 10" ovenproof skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Into the pan, place 1/2 of the potato slices in concentric circles covering the bottom of the pan evenly, using broken bits and off-slices as needed to fill in, saving the best looking potato slices for the top layer. 

Lightly salt, add a few grinds of black pepper and a light dusting of nutmeg. Next, dust the flour evenly over the potato slices. Wondra is easier to use because it won't clump, but AP will work.

Spread all of the slice onions over the flour layer, and then top with the remaining half of the potatoes. Again sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. 

Mix the creme fraiche or the cream and the stock together, and pour evenly over the top. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, partially cover with a lid or foil, and cook about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just beginning to soften. Do not boil hard, or it'll boil over. Remove the lid, and sprinkle the cheese over the top, and place the pan, uncovered in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, and the top is browned.