Polish Hunters' Stew Recipe
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dry porcini mushrooms
- 1/4 lb bacon minced
- 3/4 lb fat-trimmed beef sirloin
- 3/4 lb smoked sausages
- Â Â (such as Polish kielbasa)
- 1 x onion - (1/2 lb) peeled, minced
- 2 c. liquid removed sauerkraut
- 1 lb cooked ham cut 1/2" chunks
- 2 x hard-ripe tomatoes - (abt 3/4 lb total) rinsed, cored,
- Â Â and minced
- 1/4 c. dry red wine
- 2 x garlic cloves peeled, and
- Â Â chopped or possibly pressed
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- Â Â (or possibly crumbled dry rosemary)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Â Â (or possibly dry thyme)
- 1/2 tsp coriander seed
- 1 x dry bay leaf
- Â Â Salt to taste
- Â Â Freshly-grnd black pepper to taste
Directions
- In a small bowl, pour 1 c. boiling water over mushrooms and let stand till soft, 10 to 15 min. Lift mushrooms from water and squeeze out moisture; reserve soaking liquid. Coarsely chop mushrooms.
- In a 5- to 6-qt pan over high heat, stir bacon frequently till lightly browned, about 3 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to towels to drain. Throw away all but 1 tsp. drippings in pan.
- Meanwhile, rinse beef and pat dry. Cut beef and sausages into 1-inch chunks. Add in beef and sausages to pan and stir till browned, about 5 min. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add in onion to pan and stir till browned, 3 to 4 min. Return bacon, beef, and sausages to pan. Carefully pour in reserved mushroom soaking liquid, leaving grit behind, then add in 2 c. water, sauerkraut, ham, tomatoes, wine, garlic, rosemary, thyme, coriander seed, and bay leaf. Stirring often, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, till beef is tender when pierced, about 1 1/2 hrs.
- Ladle stew equally into wide bowls, discarding bay leaf. Add in salt and pepper to taste.
- This recipe yields about 10 c.; 5 to 6 servings.
- Comments: "As a child, I didn't know this was hunters' stew - it was just one of my favorite things," says A.J. Diehl. Her Polish parents always prepared bigos for the holidays. Diehl is now quick to point out which the stew is a treasured Polish dish; poetry and other literature have been written in its praise.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 272g | |
| Recipe makes 5 servings | |
| Calories 466 | |
| Calories from Fat 308 | 66% |
| Total Fat 34.16g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat 11.0g | 44% |
| Trans Fat 0.14g | |
| Cholesterol 129mg | 43% |
| Sodium 2097mg | 87% |
| Potassium 619mg | 18% |
| Total Carbs 6.71g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.6g | 9% |
| Sugars 1.93g | 1% |
| Protein 29.62g | 47% |
