I have something for you! I can’t take credit tonight’s dinner. I was at the gym, doing this:
Part 1 (I have to restart the treadmill since it only allows 60 minutes at a time… I prefer even miles, so):
12 miles in about 1:45. I watched a great movie- WHICH IS NOT OVER YET! Score! I started The Rainmaker (a John Grisham adaptation)- with Matt Damon (such a young cutie!), Danny DeVito, Claire Danes! 1990s HEAVEN. Best part- I still have almost 40 minutes to finish tomorrow morning during my next workout (happening in 9.5 hours. woot. not). Please no one spoil it!
All done!
Got home and Mike had already started things here for tonight’s dinner. Do we not just LOVE HIM?? Pork Chops with White Wine and Fennel-Garlic pan sauce
Asparagus, sweet potato, white wine, garlic, CSA pork chops (huge, bone-in amazingness), fennel seed, some flour, and S&P
First he took the fennel seed and ground it in our Magic Bullet (you can do it in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle)
All set. The fennel is a major flavor component here- so don’t skipsies.
Season chops with salt and pepper, and get maybe 1/3 of a cup of flour onto a plate. Dredge the pork in the flour. The fennel comes later. Meanwhile, get all of the veg together. They will get thrown into a 400 degree oven.
Start the sweet potatoes ASAP. Depending on how big the pieces are, they can take foreverrrrrr. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet, and add the chops:
See the fennel seed and powder that is sprinkled on there? Look closely. This is when we add it.
See????? 
Now we add all of the crushed (whole cloves) garlic, and white wine. It makes it’s own sauce. Bring to a simmer, and partially cover.
Cook for 15 minutes, or until your pork reaches an internal temperature that you are comfortable with. We are OK with between 140 and 145. I think the government requires hockey puck temperatures- but we have CSA meat and know our farmer. So, slightly pink is A-OK with me.
Pan sauce will be ready when the pork is. Sweeet! I tasted ours and didn’t think it needed more salt. Taste yours and check it. Season if needed. The pork should rest 10 minutes or so, so don’t panic if the veg aren’t done. Also, sub whatever veg or salad you love!
Plate: I took some potatoes for the bottom (I have to be brutally honest here- I think the potatoes were freaking phenomenal with the sauce. Like- I ate the MAJORITY of the sweet potatoes within .5 seconds of eating dinner. Not because I just ran 12 miles and needed to eat-but because sweet potatoes and this sauce= awesome sauce.), stuck a chop sort of on them, realized that the chops looked a little odd because mike flipped them in the sauce (note- they don’t need to be flipped in the wine- let the tops stay gorgeous- finishing in a braise works!), added asparagus, spooned sauce over EVERYTHING- and here is what makes the meal-This- remember? From the beginning? Liberally sprinkle the fennel over everything. mmmmm.
- 2 Bone-In thick cut pork chops (sauce makes enough for up to 4 though, so you can definitely make this for that many without upping the rest of the ingredients by too much)
- Salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup flour- for dredging SUB: For paleo or GF- use coconut flour
- olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds- grind 1 teaspoon in a spice grinder
- 1 cup high-quality white wine
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the pork lightly in flour.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat; add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the pork chops; sprinkle fennel over the raw side. Flip the chops when they are brown. Add the crushed garlic. Sprinkle the cooked side with fennel. Sear for a minute or two; then add wine. Bring the wine to a bubble, then turn down the stove and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees. Allow the pork to rest; finish with ground fennel and top with sauce.
