Recipe: Daddy Bill's Birthday Stew

Serves 4

• 2 pounds pork loin roast, trimmed and cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2–3 cups homemade beef stock or good-quality store-bought beef or chicken broth
• 3–4 carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces
• 3 large white or yellow potatoes, diced
• ½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, brown the pork pieces, which you have patted dry with paper towels, in 3 Tbsp of oil. You may need to do this in more than one batch.

Remove the meat when brown on two sides, add the onions and fennel to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes; add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes and then add back to the pan the pork and its juices. Add the stock or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook slowly for about 45 minutes to an hour until the pork is very tender.

In another pot, blanch the carrots, potatoes and sprouts in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Add these to the simmering mixture about 30 minutes into the cooking time and season to taste. I used dried thyme and fresh rosemary. Just before serving, add to the mixture a slurry of 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water, stirring constantly until the liquid thickens. Serve on rimmed plates or in wide soup bowls with good bread and country butter. Enjoy!