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Sausage Deconstructed: Pork and Fennel One-Pot

Ingredients

  • 4 1-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed or ground fennel or fennel pollen

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided

  • 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced, plus 1/4 cup fennel fronds, chopped for garnish

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced

  • 3-4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 cup dry white wine or dry red wine

  • 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

  • 1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into chunks and toasted

Directions

Season the pork with salt and pepper, fennel seed and the red pepper flakes. Dredge the pork in the flour. Heat a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of the EVOO. When the EVOO ripples, add the pork and brown for 5-6 minutes, turning once. Remove to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, then add the sliced fennel, onion, garlic and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook to soften, 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes more, then stir in the wine and scrape up the drippings. Stir in the citrus zest, juice, stock and parsley, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pork and simmer for 3-4 minutes more. Turn off the heat and garnish with the chopped fennel fronds. Serve the pork and sauce in shallow bowls with crusty ciabatta for mopping.