Pork Stew

Pork stew is a rich and flavorful dish, perfect for a Sunday lunch or a comforting dinner on colder days. Here’s how to prepare it with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

• 800 g of pork loin, cut into cubes
• Flour, as needed for dusting the meat
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, cut into rounds
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 150 ml of white wine
• 400 g of canned peeled tomatoes
• 500 ml of meat or vegetable broth
• A few sprigs of rosemary
• A few leaves of sage
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Dust the pork cubes with flour. This will help create a golden crust and thicken the sauce during cooking.
2. In a large pot, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and brown the floured pork cubes until golden brown on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
4. Put the meat back into the pot with the vegetables and deglaze with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate for a couple of minutes over high heat.
5. Add the peeled tomatoes, meat broth, herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the stew covered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
7. Check occasionally during cooking, and if necessary add a bit of broth to prevent the stew from drying out too much.

Note: You can enrich the stew by adding cubed potatoes or mushrooms during the last half-hour of cooking for an even more substantial one-pot dish.

Curiosity

Stew has very ancient origins and is prepared in many different cultures with local variations. In Italy, every region has its version, which can include specific herbs or types of meat. In Northern Italy, for example, the use of red wines for marinating and cooking stew is common, while in the Central and Southern parts of the country olives or capers are often added for a more Mediterranean note.