Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad

From EatingWell: January/February 2009 — Subscribe Now!

Fennel-crusted pork chops with a warm citrus-and-fennel salad is a terrific antidote to a dreary winter day. Serve with crusty whole-grain bread or brown rice.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This is a wonderful recipe...great flavor combination. I used arugula and served over basmati rice. The sugar/cornstarch is not needed and I would add the orange segments at the very end just before serving so the heat will not make them...

Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad Recipe

4 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

3 navel oranges
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 4-ounce boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly chopped or coarsely ground in a spice grinder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
3 cups watercress, or arugula, tough stems removed

Preparation

Remove the skin and white pith from oranges with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Squeeze juice in the bowl before discarding membranes. Transfer the segments with a slotted spoon to another bowl. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt into the bowl with the orange juice. Set aside.
Season pork chops on both sides with fennel seeds, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chops and cook until browned and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add sliced fennel and shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add watercress (or arugula) and cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the reserved orange segments, then transfer the contents of the pan to a platter.
Add the reserved orange juice mixture and any accumulated juices from the pork chops to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the pork chops on the fennel salad, drizzled with the pan sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: 257 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 5 g fiber; 378 mg sodium; 818 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (140% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Potassium (23% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat