Polish Hunter's Stew {Bigos}

Ingredients

• 0.19cup

  1 ½ c of dried mushrooms + about 1 ½ c of water for soaking
• ⅛pound

  About 1 lb of beef and / or pork (or leftover roast)
• ¼tablespoon

  2-3 tbsp of oil
• ¾strips

  6 strips of smoked bacon
• ⅛onion

  1 large onion
• 1ounces

  8 oz of fresh button mushrooms
• ⅛cabbage

  1 small cabbage
• ⅛pound

  1 lb of smoked sausage, diced
• ⅛cup

  1 c of chicken
• ¾ounces

  6 oz / 170 g of tomato paste (or ⅓ c of ketchup or one 14 oz / 410 g can of stewed tomatoes
• 0.38teaspoons

  3 tsp of salt
• ½bay leaves

  4 bay leaves
• ⅛clove

  1 garlic clove
• 1 ¼peppercorns

  10 whole peppercorns and allspice berries (each)
• 0.06teaspoon

  ½ tsp of ground pepper
• 7ounces

  56 oz / 1.5 kg of sauerkraut

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak died mushrooms for about 1 hour. When soft, chop (reserve water from soaking mushrooms).

2. 2

   If using raw meat, cut into bite size pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large pot (4–5 quart), heat oil and sear meat.

3. 3

   Remove meat from pan, add cubed bacon and render for a few minutes. Add onion and sliced fresh mush- rooms. Sauté until golden brown, for about 3 minutes. In the meantime, thinly slice fresh cabbage.

4. 4

   When onions and mushrooms are cooked, add fresh cabbage to the pot, return the cooked beef / pork, and add chopped dried mushrooms. Add diced sausage and stock, tomato paste, salt (about 2 teaspoons) bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, allspice berries, ground pepper and mix.

5. 5

   Cover and cook on medium to medium-low heat for about 15 minutes (until cabbage is soft). Stir occasionally.

6. 6

   Add sauerkraut, mix, cover and cook for another 1.5 hours. Best if cooked again (for about 1 hour) the next day.