In a Pinch!

This is not the dinner I was going to make tonight, but at about 3:00 PM we got a call from a realtor that wanted to show the house at 5:00PM. So I thawed 2 Omaha Steaks and planned to make Fragrant Fennel in Fresh Fig sauce. This recipe is from the Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook. I bought this cookbook in CA with my friend Marrilyn. As I look through it I would call it hot and cold. Previous recipes are marked, OK, bad, and great. Upon returning home, I started the Fennel.
6 small fennel bulbs, 3# total
½ C canned vegetable broth
1 C water
1/8 t salt
6 fresh figs, chopped
1 ½ T balsamic vinegar
¼ t ground pepper
1.  Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise through the base, and then cut each piece in half again. Remove the outer pieces of the bulbs if they look tough or stringy.
2. Coat a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat. Add the fennel in a single layer and cook, turning, until lightly browned on all sides. 2-3 minutes.
3. Add broth, water, salt, figs. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the vinegar rand pepper. Increase heat to med-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 5-7 minutes.
5. To serve, divide the fennel among individual plates. Top each with an equal amount of fig sauce.

Jim gave this dish thumbs down. I cut up wonderful home grown tomatoes and sprinkled them with Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. I served the steak with a leftover butter sauce from a previous meal. The wine was superb. It was a Virginia wine. Barboursville Vineyard, 1999, Cabernet Sauvignon, reserve.
Consider the last minute change over it was good.