One-Pot Wonders

Pork Stew with Fennel, Orange, and Olives

by:
October  9, 2009
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Combining two of my favorite foods-- olives and pork-- along with the complementary flavors of fennel and orange is the best of everything in my world. I often buy pork shoulder still on the bone; it's less expensive, and I can cut the meat to my liking and then add the bone to the stew, which adds more delicious porky flavor to the finished product. I also make sure to buy organic or pesticide-free oranges since I definitely don't want to be eating anything but pure, clean zest. —vvvanessa

Test Kitchen Notes

The pork turns soft and succulent, braising in this sauce of wine and chicken stock. The topping of fennel and orange zest offers a sweet citrus crunch to the mix. Serve with bread, better to sop up all the flavorful liquid. —AndreaLynn

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder/butt cut into 1" cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
  • 2 ribs of celery, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 medium bulb of fennel, sliced and fronds reserved
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 cup large, green, mild, fruity olives like cerignola or castelvetrano
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. In a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Brown the cubes of meat, working in batches to keep meat in a single layer. Remove cubes to a plate as they are ready.
  2. Raise heat to medium-high. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Sauté carrot, onion, celery, and bay leaf until just tender, about 6 minutes, working to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add fennel and sauté for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add in wine, stock, meat, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 60-90 minutes or until meat is very tender.
  4. While stew cooks, zest the oranges with a fine zester, taking care not to include any of the white pith; set zest aside.
  5. Juice the oranges; add juice to the stew, stir, and leave it to continue cooking.
  6. Pit and halve the olives. Mince 6 whole olives and combine them with 2 tablespoons finely minced fennel fronds and half of the orange zest, approximately 1 teaspoon. Set the garnish aside.
  7. When stew is ready, turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir in olives and remaining orange zest. Adjust seasoning.
  8. Serve stew hot with a sprinkle of the fennel-orange-olive garnish.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Liz D
    Liz D
  • bgavin
    bgavin
  • lapadia
    lapadia
  • Blissful Baker
    Blissful Baker
  • healthierkitchen
    healthierkitchen

13 Reviews

Liz D. January 21, 2019
Love this flavor combo. I didn't have a fennel bulb, but I did have fennel pollen, so I used that & added some butternut squash. Very good
 
bgavin October 14, 2018
I used four pounds of pork and doubled most of the rest of the ingredients, except the liquid.
It came out fabulous (with one caveat). My book club ladies loved it.
The “garnish” didn’t work for me. It was bitter and had an unpleasant consistency. Luckily I tasted it before topping the stew with it. Into the trash.
 
lapadia March 23, 2013
Hi V! Oh, I remember this recipe, love it, delicious, can't believe I didn't comment!
 
stjohns February 17, 2013
This was really good, but there is no way the recipe feeds 6 - 8. I should have known when I read the ingredients and amounts that it would be very skimpy portions.
 
vvvanessa March 20, 2013
You're right, stjohns. I've adjusted it.
 
Charlottey January 16, 2012
I doubled this recipe for 8 adults last night and luckily have some leftovers today. It was delicious and filled the house with such a lovely aroma! The pork was so tender you barely needed to chew it. The vegetables melt down and create a flavorful sauce. I served it with buttery Israeli couscous and braised rainbow chard. This is definitely a keeper.
 
vvvanessa January 16, 2012
thank you for the feedback! i'm so glad you liked it. i need to get it back in rotation now, too!
 
Michael R. January 15, 2012
Really enjoyed making this...and my family loved eating it on a cold winter's night. A great combination of comfort food with bright mediterranean flavors. We had it with couscous, which gobbled up the delicous citrus flavored stew liquids. Thanks!
 
vvvanessa January 15, 2012
thanks for trying the recipe! i'm glad you enjoyed it. i love it with couscous, too.
 
Blissful B. February 17, 2011
Congrats on the EP! I just checked out your profile & love that "cartwheeler" is listed right alongside your occupation. Life's all about joy.
 
vvvanessa February 21, 2011
thank you!
 
healthierkitchen February 9, 2011
I was hoping for something with pork! This sounds delicious!
 
vvvanessa February 21, 2011
thanks! it definitely falls in the "comfort food" category for me.