ROASTED PORK LOIN WITH FENNEL

Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel image

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 cup chopped pancetta or bacon
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 3-pound boneless pork loin
6 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
2 fennel bulbs, tops trimmed, bulbs cut into thin wedges
Lemon wedges

Steps:

Blend first 8 ingredients in processor until mixture is finely chopped.
Using tip of small sharp knife, make about twenty 1 1/2-inch-deep incisions all over pork loin. Press 1 generous teaspoonful of pancetta paste into each incision. Rub remaining paste over outside of pork. Arrange bay leaves in bottom of roasting pan. Place pork loin atop bay leaves. Cover; let pork stand at room temperature 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle pork with salt. Roast 45 minutes. Pour 1 1/2 cups stock into pan. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 155°F, adding more stock if it evaporates and basting pork with juices occasionally, about 45 minutes longer.
Transfer pork to cutting board. Discard bay leaves. Transfer pan juices to small saucepan. Skim fat from top of juices; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Cut pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to platter. Pour juices over. Surround with fennel and lemon wedges (squeeze lemon over fennel at table).