This seared pork tenderloin with fennel and crème fraîche risotto is a lovely dish for a relaxed dinner party or a slightly special weekend supper. A creamy white wine and fennel risotto, finished with crème fraîche and lemon, topped with slices of juicy pork tenderloin crusted with toasted fennel seeds. Fennel runs through every part of it, giving the whole dish a gentle sweetness and subtle aniseed warmth.
The base of the risotto is onion, leek and fennel, cooked low and slow in butter until soft and caramelised. Taking your time here builds a sweet, rich foundation of flavour, so don’t rush it. One of my favourite details is deglazing the pan you seared the pork in with the white wine. All the browned, caramelised bits left behind lift into the wine and go straight into the risotto, so nothing is wasted and the rice takes on a deeper, savoury flavour.
For the pork, toasting the fennel seeds before grinding them makes a real difference. Heat releases their natural oils, so the crust tastes warm and aromatic rather than dusty. Mixed with lemon zest, salt and pepper, it makes a fragrant rub that works beautifully with pork. Sear the tenderloins until well browned all over, then finish them in the oven. Tenderloin is very lean, so it’s best cooked until just done and still juicy. A meat thermometer helps you avoid overcooking. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing so the juices settle.
When making the risotto, add the stock little by little and stir often to release the starch from the rice, which gives a creamy texture. You may need a little more stock than listed, so keep some warm. The runner beans go in towards the end so they stay bright and keep a little bite. Stir in the crème fraîche off the heat with a squeeze of lemon, which adds richness and a gentle tang without feeling heavy.
Runner beans are at their best from July to October, making this a great late summer and early autumn dish. Green beans or peas work well out of season. Use a dry white wine you’d happily drink, and chicken stock for the most flavour. Serve with the pork sliced on top and finished with a few fennel fronds and an extra squeeze of lemon.
recipe
Servings:
4 as a main
Cook time:
Ingredients
1 onion
1 leek
1 fennel bulb
1 tbsp butter
¼ bottle white wine
300g risotto rice
600ml stock (possibly more)
2 pork tenderloins
1 lemon (zest and juice)
1½ tsp fennel seeds
360g runner beans, cut diagonally
300ml crème fraîche
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Finely dice the onion, leek and fennel. Melt the butter in a pan and cook the veg low and slow until caramelised.
2. Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds and grind until fine. Mix with the lemon zest, salt and pepper and rub all over the pork.
3. Sear the pork until browned all over, then transfer to a baking tray and set aside.
4. Deglaze the pork pan with the white wine and add to the vegetables. Reduce until there's little liquid left.
5. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, then add the stock little by little until absorbed.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
7. When the rice is almost cooked, add the runner beans and put the pork in the oven for 10 minutes. Rest.
8. When the rice is cooked through, stir in the crème fraîche and a squeeze of lemon. Check the seasoning.
9. Slice the pork and serve on top of the risotto.