Fall for Stew

By Katie Barreira

Autumn is the perfect time of year for a savory, tummy-warming bowl of stew. As the weather grows colder and the days shorter, I find myself arriving home from work feeling hungrier and less inclined to cook. And thus, Sundays have become Stew Sundays. Thirty minutes of prep, a couple hours of “set it and forget it” cooking during football and I’ve got dinner covered for at least two nights of the coming week.

Can’t imagine eating the same thing a few nights in a row? No problem; stews are masters of disguise. On Sunday, it’s a steaming bowl, hot off the stove, with a hunk of crusty bread for mopping the rich broth. Monday, the cold meat is shredded and heated with some of the veggies and served on rolls with slaw, for a pulled pork sandwich. And by Wednesday, your thickened stew dresses up as ragu, ladled over soft, creamy polenta or tossed into pasta.

Besides being versatile one-pot meals, stews are stellar for freezing. Pretty much immune to overcooking, their flavor only improves with proper aging. Freeze individual portions of stew in freezer-safe plastic bags, then just pop one or more into the fridge at breakfast and by the time you drag yourself through the door that evening, you’ve got serious sustenance in five minutes flat.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

Figgy Pig Stew
Serves 6

Fresh figs are in season and making there way into most everything I’m eating these days. But don’t miss out on this recipe because you can’t find the ephemeral fruit; it is equally delicious with dried figs. Instead of fresh, add ¾ cup of quartered dried figs to the stew at the same time that you’re adding the fennel. The sticky morsels will break down during cooking and add an earthy sweetness to the stewing liquid.

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
8 fresh figs, halved lengthwise
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 anchovy fillets
1 cup dry white wine
1 ½ cups water
2 bulbs fennel, quartered

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a medium bowl. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and, working in batches if necessary*, sear the pork until a deep golden crust forms on all sides, 5-7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the figs to the pot, cut side down, and cook until light golden on cut sides, about 2 minutes; transfer figs to the bowl with bacon.
2. Reduce heat to low; add the onion, garlic, rosemary and anchovies to the pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and water and scrape up the brown glaze from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
3. Return the pork to the pot along with the fennel; cover and cook over low heat until the meat shreds easily with a fork, about 2 hours. Stir in the reserved bacon and figs and heat through, about 5 minutes.

*Avoid over-crowding! The number of batches will depend of the surface area of your cooking vessel. Only add as much meat to the pot as will fit in the pan, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between the pieces. Any more and the meat will be steamed, grey and sad instead of getting that nice caramelized crust, which is the heart of a stew's flavor.

Special Fork is a recipe website for your smartphone and PC that solves the daily dinnertime dilemma: what to cook now! Our bloggers blog Monday through Friday to give you cooking inspiration. Check out our recipe database for quick ideas that take no more than 30 minutes of prep time. Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Fall Memories – Candied Pecans
2. In Love with Old School Mac and Cheese
3. A Fall Outing in the Country, with Doughnuts
4. Thinking Pumpkins; Anticipating Fall