Polish Hunters Stew

Polish Hunter’s Stew—Bigos—is a favorite of my family’s from the ‘old country.’ We serve it steaming hot with buttered potatoes and a crusty loaf of artisanal pumpernickle when temperatures dip. It makes a stick to your ribs meal—hearty and invigorating!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sauerkraut

1 medium head cabbage, quartered and chopped into chunks

6-8 pieces dried European mushrooms

1 apple, chopped

2 tomatoes

2-3 bay leaves

10-12 peppercorns

¼ pound salt pork, cubed, or bacon

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon flour

1 pound kielbasa

cooked pork or beef to taste

1 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

PREPARATON

Place mushrooms in a small dish of boiled water and allow to rehydrate for about 15 minutes. Cube salt pork and render in a large stockpot, add onion to drippings and saute about 10 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute. Blend in the flour and cook for a few minutes to create a roux, then add cabbage and sauerkraut with water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add mushrooms, apple, tomatoes, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Slice kielbasa into disks, cut meat into bite-size pieces and add to the pot. Stir in the sugar and mustard toward the end of the cooking time, about 3-4 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes!