This roast pork salad with caramelized onions and charred fennel is a great summer-to-fall transition meal with warm flavors but light enough for a hot day.
This recipe is almost too easy. Simply cook your grains and toss them in with fresh veggies and a lip-smacking vinaigrette. The fresh lemon, combined with heaps of fresh parsley and dill, brings much-needed excitement to something as generic sounding as a “grain salad”. Don’t let the name fool you – this Pork with Warm Herbed Grain Salad is anything but boring.
- Water 3 Cups
- Wild rice, rinsed and drained ¾ Cup
- Barley ¼ Cup
- Boneless pork loin chops, cut 1/2 inch thick (1 to 1 1/4 pounds total) 4
- Salt ¼ Tsp
- Rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar ¼ Cup
- Black Pepper ⅛ Tsp
- Canola oil or Olive oil 1 Tsp
- Reduced-sodium chicken broth ¼ Cup
- Snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed ¼ Cup
- Snipped fresh oregano, rosemary, and/or thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, rosemary, and/or thyme, crushed 1 Tbsp
- Dried cranberries ½ Cup
- Red cabbage 3 Cups
- Chopped pecans, toasted 2 Tbsp
- In a large saucepan bring water to boiling; stir in uncooked wild rice and barley. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes or until wild rice and barley are tender. Drain and return to hot saucepan; cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, trim fat from pork. Cut pork into thin bite-size strips. Sprinkle pork strips with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add pork strips; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until pork is no longer pink. Stir in vinegar, chicken broth, basil, and oregano. Add pork mixture and dried cranberries to rice mixture; toss to combine.
- Divide red cabbage among six serving plates. Top cabbage with rice mixture; sprinkle with pecans.
This roast pork salad is so utterly stunning and delicious! The flavors of fennel paired with the sweetness of caramelized onions and sweet late summer cherry tomatoes is just an incredible combination. The pork is perfectly cooked and so juicy and tender!
