Roast Pork Loin with Savory Fennel Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 28 ounce less-sodium chicken broth fat-free divided canned
• 3 cups fennel bulb thinly sliced ( 1 large bulb)
• 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds 
• 1 ounce fontina shredded
• 8 ounces bread white french firm
• 4  garlic cloves divided minced
• 0.3 cup kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 2 cups onion thinly sliced
• 2 pound pork loin 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 8 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• kitchen thermometer

Directions

1. Combine sugar, water, and salt in a large bowl, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.
2. Add pork; cover and brine 2 hours to overnight in refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 35
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
5. Add sliced fennel, onion, and 2 garlic cloves; cook until golden brown (about 20 minutes), stirring frequently.
6. Add 1/4 cup broth; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
7. Add remaining broth; bring to a boil.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Combine bread and fennel mixture. Stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
10. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown.
11. While bread pudding bakes, rinse pork and pat dry.
12. Combine fennel seeds, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub evenly over pork.
13. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
14. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
15. Place skillet in oven; bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140 (slightly pink).
16. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
17. Serve bread pudding with pork.