Sweet-and-sour pork chops with pickled fennel

Here, pickled fennel brightens up a simple weeknight pork chop supper. Serve with sautéed spinach or chard.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice; more as needed
• 2 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
• 4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 lb.)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 pint Pickled Fennel with
• Mustard and Peppercorns (recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, mix the orange juice and sugar until dissolved.
2. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chops on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the orange juice mixture to the skillet, lower the heat to medium, and cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, for about 1 minute. Add the chops and their juice, turn to coat with the sauce, and cook, basting occasionally, until nearly done (they’ll feel firm when poked with a finger), about 4 minutes. If the sauce evaporates, add a bit more orange juice.
4. With tongs, pull the pickled fennel from the jar and add it to the pan, leaving the liquid behind. Cook until the pork reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately.

VARIATION:

PICKLES FENNEL WITH MUSTARD AND PEPPERCORNS:

YIELDS: about 2 pints

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• 1 1-lb. fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 cup white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Have ready 2 sterilized wide-mouth pint jars, bands, and lids. Toast the mustard seeds and peppercorns in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Grind to a medium-coarse texture in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Pack the fennel into the jars, layering it with the spice mixture.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, oil, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium heat. Pour the liquid over the fennel until it reaches the top of the jars. Screw on the lids, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate for 3 days before using. The fennel will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.