Wood-Grilled Pork Fillet with Fresh Herbs, Wild Fennel Pollen and Red Onion Marmalade

Local, pastured pork tenderloin is marinated in olive oil, fresh thyme & rosemary and wild fennel pollen then grilled over a wood fire and served with a marmalade of red onions and fresh oranges with roasted jalapeño, red bell pepper and green garlic..

Wood-Grilled Pork Fillet with Fresh Herbs, Wild Fennel Pollen and Red Onion Marmalade

For the Marinade

2/3 cup good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon wild fennel pollen
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and allow to stand 30 minutes.

For the Marmalade

1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 fresh orange, peeled, sectioned, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon marinade from recipe above
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 medium jalapeño, grilled and chopped
1 2-3 inch section green garlic, grilled and sliced
1/4 medium red bell pepper, grilled and diced

Heat butter and oil in a heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 30 minutes.  Add oranges and orange juice and cook until disintegrated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in grilled jalapeño, green garlic and bell pepper. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

To prepare, grill thick, marinated pork fillets (or an entire tenderloin) on the hottest side of the grill for about 5 minutes or until well marked, then turn and move to the cooler side of the grill, baste with additional marinade and cover until done, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from grill and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving over warm red onion marmalade.

Wild Fennel Pollen comes from fennel flowers picked at full bloom. The plants are then dried and the pollen sifted out, yielding an exquisite spice that has the aroma of fennel, but is sweeter and far more intense in flavor than the other parts of the plant.