Fennel-salted Pork Chops with Roasted Root Vegetables

This recipe comes from the new magazine from Jamie Oliver, Issue 1 of Jamie Magazine. I have only bought and read issue 2 of his new food magazine, found it good with some interesting recipes. Jamie says that the combination of the rutabaga and the carrots highlights their natural flavours - the rutabaga's bitterness against the sweetness of the carrots. You can find the full recipe here. I omitted the spicy cabbage; instead my beautiful Bride made a favourite of mine, morning glory. The fennel was not too strong, though, I found it a little salty. The roasted vegetables were great, and something I could enjoy with other dishes, but it goes well with pork, and really was the better part of this recipe.

Fennel-salted Pork Chops with Roasted Root Vegetables
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into wedges
4 carrots, peeled, cut into 3cm chunks
Olive oil, for tossing and drizzling
1 bulb garlic, sliced in half
A few sprigs thyme
2 pork rib chops, about 350g each, cut about 2cm thick
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Toss the swede and carrots in a little olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and place in a baking tray with the garlic halves and thyme. Cover with foil and put in the oven for about 45 minutes.

When the carrots and swede are cooked through, remove the foil and return to the oven to crisp for 10–15 minutes, turning them now and then to ensure they brown evenly.

Meanwhile, preheat a griddle to hot, and lay your chops on a board. With a pestle and mortar, grind the fennel seeds with 1 tsp salt until no whole seeds remain. Drizzle the chops with olive oil and sprinkle with the fennel salt and plenty of black pepper, rubbing over evenly.

Lay the meat in the pan, making sure it makes good contact with the griddle's ridges. Cook for 10 minutes, turning every two minutes, until cooked through. With a pair of tongs, pick the chops off the griddle and let rest for a couple of minutes.