Cast Iron Fennel Pork and Polenta Recipe

There’s a sweet spot in entertaining where a dish feels special enough for a dinner party but doesn’t require spending the entire evening in the kitchen. This is one of those dishes: a thick-cut pork chop with a fragrant, porchetta-inspired crust of rosemary, fennel, and chile flakes, served over buttery polenta and topped with a bright salad of shaved fennel, orange, and arugula.

The secret is building flavor without overcomplicating things. Season the pork an hour ahead to let the spices work their magic. Start the polenta first, letting it slowly thicken while you prep the salad. Then sear the chop until the outside is beautifully browned and the inside stays juicy. Slice it, fan it over the polenta, and finish with the citrus salad, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of flaky salt. It’s a dish that looks like a lot more work than it is. This recipe serves two people, but can easily be scaled up according to how many guests you’re serving.

For the Pork

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed, or ½ tsp fennel pollen

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

¼ tsp red chile flakes

1 thick-cut bone-in pork chop (1 1/2- to 2-in. thick, about 1 1/2 lbs.)

1 tbsp olive oil

For the Polenta

2 cups water, plus more as needed

kosher salt

½ cup polenta

2 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Fennel-Citrus Salad

1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

1 orange, peeled and cut into segments

1 cup loosely packed arugula

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving

flaky sea salt, for finishing

Season the pork: Combine salt, pepper, fennel seeds or fennel pollen, rosemary, and chile flakes in a small bowl. Rub all over pork chop. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Make the polenta: Bring 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a heavy Dutch oven. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and creamy, 25 to 35 minutes, adding more water as needed. Stir in butter just before serving.

Prepare the salad: Combine shaved fennel, orange segments, and arugula in a bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.

Sear the pork: Heat olive oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until deeply browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°, about 5 to 10 minutes longer, depending on thickness. If needed, finish in a 375° oven. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.

Finish and serve: Spoon polenta onto a serving platter. Slice pork and fan over polenta. Top with fennel, orange, and arugula. Spoon over pan juices, if desired, then finish with lemon juice and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

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Cast Iron Fennel Pork and Polenta