Athena Calderone's Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Shallots, Fennel & Watercress
I realize you might be a bit tired of hearing me wax on about Athena Calderone’s Cook Beautiful recipes, but so long as I continue to be inspired and impressed by what she cooks, I’ll keep raving about my favorites here. My latest discovery is her Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Shallots & Fennel dish, which is simply divine. I make pork chops maybe every few years, but when I came across this recipe earlier this week, I added pork chops to my shopping list and made them as soon as I unpacked my groceries. Before the pork even made it to the cast-iron pan, the smell of the shallots and fennel sautéing away in the kitchen had everyone stopping by to ask what was cooking. And the finished dish did not disappoint. I will be buying pork chops way more than once every few years, thanks to this winning recipe (which I doubled, by the way, since we were four).
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 bone-in pork chops
1 to 1¼ inches thick, left at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 fennel bulb, quartered and cored, one quarter reserved and the remainder cut into ½-inch-thick wedges, fronds reserved for garnish
4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 radishes
1 large handful watercress, stalky ends trimmed
1 tablespoon plus ⅓ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons honey
¼ cup chicken stock or water
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Preparation
Pat the pork dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the oil and then the pork. Scatter the shallots, fennel wedges, and thyme around the chops. Cook, flipping the pork and tossing the vegetables halfway through, about 8 minutes total. The pork should be cooked through and well browned, and the vegetables should be tender. Using tongs, remove the pork and vegetables to a plate. Cover and keep warm.
While the pork and vegetables are cooking, make the watercress salad: Using a mandoline, thinly shave the radishes and remaining fennel. Toss the shaved vegetables and watercress with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add the remaining ⅓ cup (75 ml) vinegar to the skillet. Using a rubber or wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the mustard, honey, and ¼ cup water. Simmer until you have a reduced, syrupy sauce. Remove the pan from the heat. Return the pork to the pan and evenly coat with the sauce.
Plate the pork with fennel and shallots and spoon with the pan sauce. Top the pork with a handful of watercress salad. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and finish with a pinch of flaky salt
