Fennel Crusted Rib Roast Recipes

HERB-CRUSTED STANDING RIB ROAST

Steps:

• Let beef sit at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 275 degrees, with rack in lower third. In a spice grinder, combine fennel seed, thyme, and rosemary and process into a powder. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place a large broilerproof roasting pan across two burners and heat over medium-high. Add beef, fat side down, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer beef to a rimmed baking sheet. Tilt pan and use paper towels to wipe any burned bits from bottom but leave drippings. When beef is cool enough to handle, sprinkle all over with herb mixture.
• With a serrated knife, cut garlic heads in half crosswise. Arrange garlic halves in middle of pan; prop beef on top. Roast until garlic is tender and beef is medium-rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of roast should read 125 degrees), 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Transfer roast and garlic to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; let rest 30 minutes.
• To carve, separate the meat from the bones by sliding a knife between the ribs and the meat and cutting downward, following curve of bones. Then cut the ribs apart.
• To serve, slice meat against the grain. Arrange on a serving platter with ribs and garlic.

FENNEL AND GARLIC-CRUSTED PORK ROAST WITH WARM QUINCE AND APPLE COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the fennel and fennel fronds, onion, and garlic, and process to a paste. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, fennel seeds, and pepper, and pulse to combine.
• With a small, sharp knife, make shallow crosshatch cuts in the skin of the pork roast. Season it all over with salt, rubbing it in well. Rub the fennel-garlic paste over the roast to cover it with a layer about 1/4-inch thick. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove the roast from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature 20 minutes prior to cooking. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the thickest section of meat is 150 degrees. Cover roast with foil after the crust has browned. Remove the roast from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the butcher twine and slicing it into thick chops. Serve with the compote.
• Peel, core and dice the apples and quince into 1/2-inch dice. In a 10-inch saute pan, heat the butter over low heat. Sprinkle the sugar over the melted butter. Raise the heat to medium and cook, occasionally stirring or swirling the pan, for about 3 minutes, until the sugar melts and caramelizes. Add the quince and apples, and cook, tossing occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fruit is lightly browned and the apples have softened. The quince dice will retain their shape. Add the cider and lemon juice, and cook for about 2 minutes, until reduced but not evaporated. Season with the ginger and salt. Serve warm.

FENNEL-CRUSTED ROAST PORK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Brush onions with 2 teaspoons vinegar in a lightly oiled shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning over halfway through roasting and keeping wedges intact, until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
• Reduce temperature to 400°F.
• Coarsely grind fennel seeds, salt, and pepper to taste with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder, then spread on a plate. Roll pork in fennel mixture, coating all sides evenly.
• Roast in a flameproof small shallow roasting pan in middle of oven until a thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of pork registers 155°F, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate and let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
• Add broth to roasting pan and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Transfer broth to a small saucepan and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add remaining teaspoon vinegar and simmer 1 minute. Stir together cornstarch and water and stir into broth. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Serve pork with onions and sauce.

PORK RIB ROAST WITH APPLES, FENNEL, AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Score rib-roast fat cap with the tip of a paring knife in opposite directions, to create a 1/2-inch crosshatch. Prick roast all over with knife tip at approximately 1-inch intervals, about 1 inch deep. Generously season with salt and pepper, rubbing it into meat with your hands. In a bowl, stir together mustard, soy sauce, chopped rosemary, and coriander and fennel seeds.
• Rub mixture all over pork. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, or loosely cover and refrigerate up to 1 day (return to room temperature at least 1 hour before roasting).
• Preheat oven to 450°F. In a saucepan, combine potatoes and enough cold water to fully submerge them. Bring to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and boil until tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Using a flattened palm or the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten potatoes slightly (but keep them intact).
• Transfer potatoes to a large roasting pan with onions and fennel. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread in a single layer. Scatter rosemary sprigs over vegetables. Place marinated pork in center of pan, atop vegetables.
• Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, core and quarter apples and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Scatter apples into pan and continue cooking until vegetables are tender and a thermometer inserted in center of roast registers at least 135°F, 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 45 minutes more, depending on size.
• Transfer pork to a carving board, loosely cover, and let stand 20 minutes; discard rosemary. Turn oven off and return vegetables to oven to keep warm. Carve pork and serve with vegetables and more mustard.