Braised Pork Chops with Fennell - Chef Michael Stephans, Chairman, Culinary Arts Program, Ivy Tech State College.

Chef Stephans conducted a great class on cooking pork in various ways.  These moist and delectable chops are braised in a wine flavored stock with a side of sauteed fennel.  He made the stock quickly by diluting some of our Aromont veal demi glace.

Ingredients:

6 6oz. pork chops, frenched
2 oz. oil 
2 cloves, garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
6 oz. marsala wine
6 oz. dry red wine
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 1/4 cup veal stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 oz. butter
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped 

Season chops with salt and pepper and brown well in oil.  Remove pork and add garlic, fennel seeds and tomato paste to the pan.  Add marsala and red wine and reduce by 1/2.  Return chops to pan, add stock, cover and cook until chops are done.

In a separate pan saute the fennel in butter, adding parsley at the very end of the cooking cycle.  Arrange on a plate or platter, place the chops on top and pour the sauce (wine stock braising liquid) over the chops.  Serves 6.