Cooking Lesson #208: Italian-Style Fennel Glazed Pork Chops

… from the California Kitchen

How you doin’? I was watching Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix the other night when Samin Nosrat was discussing the benefit of different fats used in Italian cooking. At one point one of her guests brought in a roasted piglet that took around 6 hours to slow cook. It was beautiful—I could taste it through the TV screen.
 
Here's a more manageable version of the traditional Italian recipe for whole roast pig seasoned with garlic, rosemary and fennel. This one comes together so quickly you can make it on a whim. The only thing missing is the crispy, crackling skin. Delicious, tender pork chops simmered in a fennel seed, garlic and white wine sauce in less than about a half hour.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pork chops
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 
Directions

1. Heat a skillet and then pour a little olive oil or other cooking oil in; let the oil heat up for a minute.
2. Sprinkle the garlic salt on both sides of the pork chops. The garlic salt should cover the chops. Don't be skimpy, it can take the garlic salt.
3. Put the pork chops in the frying pan and sprinkle fennel seeds (10 to 15 fennel seeds per pork chop), rosemary and pepper flakes on top of the pork chops.
4. Let the pork chops brown over medium heat for 7 minutes.
5. Flip them over and let them brown for another 7 minutes.
6. Once both sides are browned, flip again.
7. 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 5 minutes.
8.  Add the butter to the pan and stir the sauce well.
9. When ready to serve, plate the pork chops and spoon over a little of the reserved sauce.

Note: Make sure the wine doesn't completely evaporate or the pork chops will overcook and become dry. You may have to add a little more wine, water or butter to the pan.

ChefSecret:  I use a fatty, well-marbleized pork chop (see picture) to keep the moisture level high and the meat tender.  You can change the whole flavor of the dish by using 1 cup of Marsala instead of white wine.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “I’ve been watching so much television… I finished Netflix last night!”
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