Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin w/Balsamic-Fennel Confit

You know. It's January. We're supposed to be trying to make some lower calorie meals. After the excess of the holidays. But, you know how it is - you get tired of chicken breasts, stir-frys, and salads. So you go to the source - the cookbooks or the files - and find something new. Something more interesting. Something different. It wasn't hard - I have a huge inventory of cookbooks and folders and folders of clipped recipes. I pulled out one of the diet-type files I have - low-fat entrees - and found about 50 recipes in the file. At least half of them were for pork, which appealed to me. A big shopping spree at Costco, and a couple of hours of putting away stuff and re-proportioning the meat I bought, and I was ready to think about dinner.

For Christmas, at my suggestion, my DH gave me a FoodSaver vacuum packaging system (from Costco). I'd been reluctant to get one, even though a few people had recommended it. I went online and read reviews and settled on the FoodSaver 2940, which got better write-ups than others. I finally unpacked it yesterday, watched the DVD with demonstrations of packaging up all kinds of items. So today I bought a big pork roast and 4 tenderloins. I cut up the roast into 3 pieces and pressed the magic button and wh-o-o-o-p it sucks out all the air. It was FUN. (Sometimes I'm easily amused, especially with any new kitchen toy.) I separated the tenderloins and sucked 3 of those into separate packages. The 4th tenderloin became our dinner. The 2940 doesn't look exactly like this, but close.

So, I digress talking about my new toy. Back to dinner. I really like fennel. I like it raw - just to eat like celery, and I like it cooked - when it renders itself into silkiness, almost. I'd clipped the original recipe from one of Williams-Sonoma's catalogs. The recipe resided next to the write-up about "infused" balsamic. A mere 6 ounce bottle for $19.00. I didn't buy it (aren't you proud of me?). But I thought the recipe was intriguing, so I substituted, as we cooks are wont to do. I couldn't find nary a fresh sage leaf in two stores yesterday (I know, they're out of season, but I still thought the grocery store would have them anyway). Wrong. So I used powdered sage. Surely not the same thing, but the closest I could get. And, I didn't have this infused vinegar. But I DID have some wonderful fruit-infused balsamic that I thought might work. Indeed it did.

First you brown the pork tenderloin, remove it, then saute the fennel and shallots. I sliced the fennel in about 1/4 inch slabs. Maybe not the right configuration for this dish - next time I'd do what the recipe said - in 1/4 inch strips. The slices of fennel would work well in a baked dish, but this fennel needed to be tossed in the frying pan. A tad difficult with this large pieces. Awkward is all I can say. But, my own fault. Once the fennel is nearly cooked through, you add the balsamic. Put the pork tenderloin on top of this vegetable mixture and bake in a very hot oven until the pork is just pink through (145 degrees F), remove the fennel, then the pork to a cutting board and cover with foil briefly while you whisk the remaining sauce over high heat. The pork was perfectly cooked (pink in the middle) and the fennel (W-S calls it a confit) was kind of like a vegetable relish in a way. Not exactly like a side vegetable, but it was that too. Whatever it was, it was delicious.

Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Fennel Confit
Recipe: Adapted from a Williams-Sonoma recipe
Servings: 4
24 ounces pork tenderloin -- (two loins)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 whole fennel bulbs -- sliced in 1/4 inch slices
2 whole shallots -- sliced
6 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar with Pomegranate -- or infused balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh sage -- chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil and butter. When hot, brown pork for 3-4 minutes on each side until the meat has begun to caramelize. Transfer meat to a platter.
3. To the same frying pan add the slices of fennel and shallots. Saute, stirring, until the fennel is tender and golden, 6-10 minutes. Add 2 T. of the balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring, until nearly evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half the sage leaves.
4. Nestle the pork tenderloin on top of the fennel, sprinkle with the remaining sage. Use a meat probe in the center of the meat. Transfer pan to the oven. Bake until the thermometer reaches 145 degrees, about 15-20 minutes, or until done to your liking.
5. Remove from oven and transfer pork to a cutting board. Loosely cover with foil. Allow to sit while you complete the sauce (about 5 minutes).
6. Set pan over medium-high heat. Add broth and 4 T. of the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 4-6 minutes. Slice the pork to about 1/2 inch medallions. Arrange pork slices of fennel on a heated platter and drizzle the top with the pan sauce. NOTES : If you don't have the Balsamic with Pomegranate, use some other kind fruited balsamic. The original recipe called for "Infused Balsamic Vinegar," available at Williams-Sonoma. It's an intense, reduced syrup almost, in either a rosemary or garlic flavor. Be sure to cook the fennel until it's nearly cooked before adding the vinegar. You want to caramelize the edges of the fennel, which enhances its flavor. And whatever you do, don't overcook the pork - you want it to be just barely pink in the middle.
Per Serving: 337 Calories; 13g Fat (33.3% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 118mg Cholesterol; 219mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

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Tuscan Chicken (not) Soup

Why would you think a soup would be named Tuscan CHICKEN Soup when there isn't any chicken in it? Beats me! But, I'm being true to the original recipe, which called it Tuscan Chicken Soup. Even though it has beef in it.

When the instructor, Patty Padawar, explained this soup, she must have had some kind of explanation, but it's nothing that stuck in my head, nor did I write anything on my notes. The originator of this recipe must have had a reason, right? Oh well. Whether it's chicken or beef, it's just a plain old good soup.

This recipe came from a cooking class at Sur la Table, and was a compilation of some of the cooking school's "favorites." How could I not go to a class that culled through hundreds of cooking class recipes and pulled out the best of the best? Only one of the recipes was one where I'd attended the class (that was Joanne Weir's Sicilian Tuna Salad, which I've already posted here on my blog).

I'm a real sucker for soups. I've loved them always, but over the last 10 years or so I've found them to be such a time saver and they make a very full, tasty and easy meal. We don't eat many bean soups just because neither of us need the packed carbs at our age. But, I love vegetable soups, chicken soups, beef soups, squash soups too.

This one is a mixture of ground beef, escarole, fresh fennel, onions, and orzo pasta. A nice combination. If you don't know if you like fennel, trust me on this - fennel once cooked is very mellow. There isn't even an inkling of anise flavor in this soup once it's been simmered awhile. And, as always, this soup is much better the next day if you can plan ahead!

The soup also has one added touch that I'd never seen done before: just before serving you slice a plank of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, using a cheese plane, and place it in the bottom of the soup bowl. Then you ladle the hot soup on top and within a minute the cheese is mostly melted, although it doesn't "stir" into the soup at all. It's best when your spoon just lifts a little bit of the cheese with a bite of soup. Be sure to tell guests so they don't scrape the bottom and get an entire mouthful of cheese.

Actually, this time I used some ground chicken (a third) to this soup in addition to ground beef (two thirds). And I added some celery too, just, well, because. The soup is low in calorie, although I don't think this serves as many as the recipe indicates. We eat about 1 & 1/2 cups per serving, and I think the recipe assumes less. I made a double batch so I'd have leftovers. And this soup freezes well to join others in my soup library. That is, if there are any by the time we finish tonight's dinner.

Tuscan Chicken (no, Beef) Soup
Recipe By :Patty Padawar, cooking insructor
Servings: 8
3/4 pound lean ground beef -- or veal
1 small fennel bulb -- chopped
1 medium onion -- chopped
2-3 whole cloves garlic -- minced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups low sodium beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano -- crushed
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
4 cups escarole -- shredded
4 ounces Parmesan cheese -- shaved in planks

salt -- to taste

1. In a large saucepan or pot, cook the ground beef, onions, fennel and garlic over high heat, stirring as needed for about 5 minutes, until meat is browned and vegetables are softened. Drain off excess fat.
2. Add broths, water and seasonings and simmer for 10 minutes. Bring up to a gentle boil, add the orzo and cook 10 more minutes, stirring twice.

3. Remove bay leaves, add the escarole and remove from the heat. Taste and add salt if needed, or more pepper. Stir to blend in. Divide the cheese planks into serving bowls, ladle the hot soup on the cheese and serve.
NOTES : To make cheese planks: use a cheese plane or sharp vegetable peeler. If you have leftovers, taste it when you reheat it as you may need to add additional water or broth.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 275 Calories; 13g Fat (43.8% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 43mg Cholesterol; 586mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

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Fennel Fritters

Fennel. Fresh fennel, in the bulb. I think I first had it in about 1985, served to me by a friend. She and her husband are Italian, and she shaved thin pieces into a green salad. I was blown away by the taste, asked her about it, and have been using it ever since. I buy a fennel bulb every week or so and usually it's reserved for salads, in small little slivers. I rarely take the time to shave the fennel with a potato peeler to get the paper-thin type I was originally served. I even enjoy munching on raw fennel too. It's like celery, but with more flavor. The hint of anise in fennel is very subtle.

And my friend Joan brought some fabulous Baked Fennel with Parmigiano-Reggiano one time to an Italian meal we shared with travel friends when we were heading for a trip to Tuscany together. I've written up that recipe already - click on the title in the previous sentence to get to it. But, other than that dish, I've not had it cooked. Until now, that is.

I don't remember where I was referred to the blog, Rustic Food, or just "Rustic." But Batul lives in England and uploads some very interesting recipes now and then. A recipe has not been posted since January, however, so Batul must be on hiatus. The recipes are different, with lots of Middle Eastern overtones. This one is no exception. Fennel Fritters. They sounded so unusual. I printed out the recipe nearly a year ago, but just made them to accompany a grilled steak for our dinner. My DH loved them. I loved them.

Here you see what the diced up fennel and onion looked like. I did this by hand, so I could control the size better than in the food processor. But, you might be able to use the processor on this anyway. I didn't have fresh dill, unfortunately, but used some dried (never as good). I had Greek feta on hand, which is a bit less salty than some, so did add a little bit of salt. Taste it before you add the raw egg and make a decision about that yourself. I also added a few grinds of black pepper and about a tablespoon of sour cream to the mixture.

They were very easy to fry - just a little bit of olive oil in a nonstick pan, and the fritters/pancakes took about 2 - 3 minutes per side, I'd say. Maybe less on the 2nd side. They were easy to turn, even though the mixture is quite soft. You don't get little air bubbles to tell you they're ready to turn, like you do with pancakes. Have a heated oven and hot plate standing by, so you can transfer them to keep warm while you do another batch. Fennel, when cooked, turns into this lovely smooth texture and very mellow. But the fennel in these fritters doesn't cook completely - there's still a bit of crunch to it. The pancake reminded me of egg fu yung, something I haven't seen on Chinese restaurant menus since I was a youngster. Eggy. Soft. I'll be making this again. I had some sour cream languishing in the refrigerator, so also put a little dollop on each pancake to serve. Batul's recipe called for a dollop of yogurt on each fritter. But, it really doesn't need it. Really.

The original recipe didn't say how many it served. I thought maybe about 4 (leftovers, thank you), but oh well. They're low in calorie and fat. We ate them all, except for one lone pancake. So plan accordingly. Or maybe you can have more restraint than we did.

Fennel Fritters
Recipe: Rustic Food blog
Servings: 4
1 whole fennel bulb -- finely chopped
1 small onion -- finely chopped
4 tbsp dill -- chopped
4 tbsp feta cheese -- crumbled (or cheddar grated)
3 whole eggs
3 tbsp flour -- (up to 4)

1 tbsp sour cream (my addition)
1 tsp baking powder

salt to taste (you don't need much because of the feta)
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, drizzle some olive oil in a nonstick frying pan, pour in the mixture, 2 tbsp for each fritter, cook on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Best when it is warm and served with yogurt.
NOTES : Don' t throw away outer leaves of fennel, they are fine with this recipe.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 139 Calories; 6g Fat (38.2% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 167mg Cholesterol; 317mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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Baked Fennel with Parmesan Cheese

About 5 years ago our friends Joan and Tom decided to rent an old villa in Tuscany for a week. In a little village called Bucine (pronounced BOO-shin-ay, which is contrary to normal Italian pronunciation). The place had come recommended to them by mutual friends, and was exceedingly inexpensive. Between them and us we invited other friends. We had 12 people on that trip. We actually rented the house again 2 years later too. About 2 weeks before our first departure all of the group gathered to talk logistics, timing, tour planning, and to share a delicious potluck Tuscan dinner. Joan brought this succulent fennel dish, which has become a regular on my menus ever since.

(photo from wholefoodsmarket.com)

Fennel is not an everyday vegetable. Lots of people profess to not like it because of its anise/licorice flavor. Indeed, it does have a little bit of that. And I'm not a licorice fan at all. But I like fennel raw or cooked. . . I love it raw, cut in small slivers, or shaved with a vegetable peeler. I can eat it like eating a stick of celery. But I also l-o-v-e it in this format too. When cooked, it's a different vegetable altogether First you remove the tops and nearly all the stems, cut each fennel bulb in either wedges or slices, simmer in water briefly, then bake with chicken broth, butter, parsley sage and Parmesan cheese on top. It becomes not quite soft, but sort of silky, but still with some substance to it. Italians love fennel and use it in many different ways. Obviously it's one of those vegetables that thrives in the Tuscan climate.

Joan said this recipe came from a cookbook she picked up when she and Tom lived in Rome for a few years when their daughters were young. The book is Five Brothers: A Year in Tuscan Cooking. It's available in used copies through Amazon for a ridiculously low price, in case you're interested. From what I read about it, Five Brothers is a brand of tomato sauce and other Italian canned products, and one criticism of the book was that the recipes called out the family's products too often. Another review simply said just substitute those ready-made products with your own. One nice aspect of this dish is that any leftovers are easily reheated in the microwave. DH and I made this last week. He schlepped stuff for me and I did most of the prep work on it from my little card table "kitchen" that I can reach. Even DH, who said some years ago that he didn't think he liked fennel, loves this preparation. You might like it too.

Baked Fennel with Parmigiano-Reggiano
Recipe from my friend Joan, from a cookbook called: Five Brothers: A Year of Tuscan Cooking

Servings: 8
6 whole fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons butter -- cut in pieces
1 tablespoon Italian parsley -- chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage -- divided

salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese -- grated
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cut off the tops, clean and quarter the fennel bulbs. Or, if the bulbs are irregularly shaped, they can be cut in wide, flat slices. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a splash of salt and cook the fennel quarters for 5 minutes only. Drain and pat dry.
3. Lightly oil a baking dish then layer half the fennel inside. Dot with butter, half the parsley, sage, salt and pepper. Top with remaining fennel and seasonings. Pour broth over fennel and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake for 45 minutes. Remove lid/foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. If you're in a hurry, increase the temperature to 400° and it may take less time to brown.
NOTES : The fennel's delicate anise flavor actually sweetens when cooked. It's a staple in the Italian vegetable repertoire.
Per Serving: 104 Calories; 5g Fat (38.0% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 238mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.
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