Pork Chops with Apple, Fennel and Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops (we used shoulder chops)
- 1 tablespoon rock salt
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salad
- 300g green beans (topped and tailed)
- ½-1 fennel bulb (or 1-2 baby fennel). More if you love fennel, less if it’s new to you
- 2 small royal gala apples, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
- ¼ cup toasted almonds (chopped or sliced)
Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste.
Method
- Blanch beans in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Drain and place beans into a bowl of iced water. This stops the cooking process.
- In a mortar and pestle grind the fennel seeds to release their flavour. Add the salt and rosemary and grind gain to break up the salt crystals and infuse the flavour.
- Rub each of your chops with the seasoned salt. Cook on a hot BBQ for 3-5 minutes each side, depending on how thick your chops are and how you like your pork cooked.
- Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. While it is resting, make the salad.
- Trim the top off the fennel bulb, reserving some of the fronds. Remove the core and slice thinly (a mandolin makes it a quick and easy job). Toss with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and set aside.
- Thinly slice the apples and toss with the remaining lemon juice.
- Arrange the spinach leaves in a wide shallow salad bowl.
- Add the fennel, apple and the green beans drained from the iced water.
- Mix your dressing by combining all ingredients and whisking well until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
- Dress your salad, tossing well to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Garnish with the toasted almonds and reserved fennel fronds and serve with the pork chops.
Recipe courtesy of Sandi Cooper Naturopathy
https://www.sandicoopernaturopathy.com