Pork & Fennel Ragot with Creamy Bibb Salad

Here is yet another recipe which required little change to fit into the gluten-free, etc lifestyle.

The bonus on this dish for me is I am a huge fan of "one pot" cooking.  In general, when I get home from work I want little fuss with big flavors while cooking.  This recipe provides on both accounts.  It also allowed me to forage out in the garden for a few of the ingredients.  Also a bonus.

The downside:  The fresh fennel bulb was a bit much for my taste.  That said, my local fresh market only had large (and I mean LARGE) fennel bulbs and I may have been a bit heavy handed on the quantity.  Since there were left overs, I gave it a try this morning and the fennel had mellowed out nicely.  

This would be a great dish to make a head.

Pork and Fennel Ragout

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine


Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 1-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (1 pound total), trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced shallots
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups red or white wine
Directions
Grind the fennel seeds with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a spice grinder or chop with a knife. Transfer to a medium bowl; mix with the lemon juice and pork. Add the flour and toss to coat. In another bowl, mix the lemon zest with 2 tablespoons parsley.

Heat a deep skillet or pot over high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the pork in batches, 1 minute per side; transfer to a plate. Add the shallots, fennel bulb, the remaining 3 tablespoons parsley, and salt to taste to the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are wilted, 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, wine and 1/2 cup water; scrape up any browned bits. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fennel is tender, 12 minutes. Add the pork and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with the lemon zest-parsley mixture.

Fresh parsley and bibb lettuce from the garden

The salad dressing was a huge success!  The flavor is so fresh, light and green.  It was a great balance against the heavy flavor of the pork dish.  Without question, this will be a staple in our menu and I can't wait to try it in summer when it will be a refreshing treat from the heat.

Creamy Bibb Salad

Directions
Puree in a blender:  ½ tin anchovy fillets with oil with a handful each of chopped chives and parsley and the juice of 1 lemon. Add 3/4 cup veganaise and 1/4 cup EVOO and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over Bibb lettuce.