Blood Orange and Fennel Salad

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For those of you that follow me, you’ve heard me say before that I don’t eat salad regularly because I just don’t enjoy it that much.  However, I went the store to get veggies a couple days ago and saw a bulb of fennel that I just had to have.  Shortly after that, I saw they had blood oranges in stock, which doesn’t happen that often!  They are the PERFECT pair.  Blood orange is a dark reddish color and the flavor is like a cross between a grapefruit and an orange.  I threw together a salad with the two ingredients and could not get enough.  It’s a shame to call this a recipe, but it is really just simple ingredients, but it was worth a formal publish!!
Blood Orange and Fennel Salad
Ingredients:
1 blood orange, peeled and sliced
thinly sliced fennel
spinach
a few pinches of feta (organic, unpasteurized)
drizzle basil infused EVOO (regular would work too)
drizzle barrel aged balsamic (regular would work too)
protein of choice
Directions:
Throw it all in a bowl and eat!!!

Fennel and Tomato Pork Chops

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This dish represents a lot of cooking technique that everyone should learn.  Once you learn some basics, you can sub any protein, and veggies, and any spices to suit your palate. I happen to also love this dish because it incorporates fennel, which most people have never tried.  I’m a big proponent of trying new things, so if you have never tried it, here’s your fool-proof chance! If you have a big family, just multiply the recipe for your needs.

Searing the meat gives nice carmelization which lends tons of flavor.  Deglazing the pain picks up all those flavors and let the deglazing liquid reduce and intensify in flavor.  Add herbs is the key to making a dish packed full of flavor and looking pretty!  You eat with you eyes first.  Add chopped parsley to the top of anything and it instantly looks more appetizing!

Fennel and Tomato Pork Chops

Ingredients:

  • 2 pork chops
  • 1 bulb fennel plus the fronds (which are the top green tassle-like things), sliced
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • zest from one lemon
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

Over high heat, melt oil until hot.  Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, sear both sides of the chops until a nice brown crust forms (about 2 minutes each side). Once seared, remove the chops from the pan and put in the fennel, shallots, and half the parsley.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Deglaze the pan by pouring in your wine and scraping the brown bits from the bottom.  Add the tomatoes and stir.  Nestle back in the pork chops into sauce and reduce heat to medium.  Let cook for another 12-15 minutes.  Take out the pork chops and add in the remaining parsley, lemon zest, and another generous seasoning of salt and pepper.  Serve!