FENNEL-CRUSTED ROAST PORK

Fennel-Crusted Roast Pork image

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 small red onions (10 oz total), each cut into 6 wedges
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lb boneless pork loin, trimmed and tied
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Garnish: fresh flat-leaf parsley

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.