Words fail to describe how tasty this stew is and how its flavour continues to improve for days afterward.
Try it. That is all.
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin
3 slices bacon
a small handful of shallots
2 large carrots
2 sticks celery (was not in this batch [didn't have any] but is a good addition)
generous sprig of thyme
1/3 bottle white wine
900ml chicken stock
2 medium onions (or ~20 pearl onions - these are really classy and lovely)
3 medium potatoes (or ~15 baby potatoes cut in half - these are also better)
2 granny smith apples
2 tbsp room temp butter creamed with 2 tbsp flour
Slice bacon into thinnish strips and fry in a large stock pot. Do not cook to a crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a small bowl. Dice tenderloin into generous chunks, apply salt and pepper then coat in flour before browning in bacon fat. Brown all sides then remove from pan and set aside.
Slice carrots into slightly diagonal rounds. Add to pan. Mince shallots - add to pan. There will be a thick coating of bacon fat/flour/pork detritis. Don't worry about it, keep frying the carrots etc. Thinly slice celery and add. Steam with lid on for a couple of minutes. When you feel the bottom of the pan is juuust about to smoke, douse it with wine. It will hiss nicely. Place large thyme sprig in now.
Continue to simmer vegetables for a further 5ish minutes with lid on. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan until hardened matter lifts. Stir well.
Add chicken stock, half reserved bacon and all of pork.
Turn heat down to 2 and cover. Allow to simmer for 1 hour.
At this point add potatoes and onions. If using normal onions, cut them into 6 wedges each. Cook a further 30 minutes. Peel, core and slice apples. Add to pot, replace lid. Simmer for another 8 minutes. In the meantime, mash flour and butter together on a small plate with a fork. Ensure it is well blended. Not doing so will result in flour lumps.
Add butter-flour paste to the pot a little bit at time, stirring after each addition to blend. Add remaining bacon. Once all has been incorporated, warm bowls and seek out some crusty bread. Garnish with extra fresh thyme. You're ready to dig in.
1 pork tenderloin
3 slices bacon
a small handful of shallots
2 large carrots
2 sticks celery (was not in this batch [didn't have any] but is a good addition)
generous sprig of thyme
1/3 bottle white wine
900ml chicken stock
2 medium onions (or ~20 pearl onions - these are really classy and lovely)
3 medium potatoes (or ~15 baby potatoes cut in half - these are also better)
2 granny smith apples
2 tbsp room temp butter creamed with 2 tbsp flour
Slice bacon into thinnish strips and fry in a large stock pot. Do not cook to a crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a small bowl. Dice tenderloin into generous chunks, apply salt and pepper then coat in flour before browning in bacon fat. Brown all sides then remove from pan and set aside.
Slice carrots into slightly diagonal rounds. Add to pan. Mince shallots - add to pan. There will be a thick coating of bacon fat/flour/pork detritis. Don't worry about it, keep frying the carrots etc. Thinly slice celery and add. Steam with lid on for a couple of minutes. When you feel the bottom of the pan is juuust about to smoke, douse it with wine. It will hiss nicely. Place large thyme sprig in now.
Continue to simmer vegetables for a further 5ish minutes with lid on. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan until hardened matter lifts. Stir well.
Add chicken stock, half reserved bacon and all of pork.
Turn heat down to 2 and cover. Allow to simmer for 1 hour.
At this point add potatoes and onions. If using normal onions, cut them into 6 wedges each. Cook a further 30 minutes. Peel, core and slice apples. Add to pot, replace lid. Simmer for another 8 minutes. In the meantime, mash flour and butter together on a small plate with a fork. Ensure it is well blended. Not doing so will result in flour lumps.
Add butter-flour paste to the pot a little bit at time, stirring after each addition to blend. Add remaining bacon. Once all has been incorporated, warm bowls and seek out some crusty bread. Garnish with extra fresh thyme. You're ready to dig in.
If you think the first bowl is amazing... wait until the next day.