Flemish stew
ingredients - info
vegetable stock
leek
turnips
onions
carrots
bacon
celeriac celery
parsnip
knuckle of pork
cabbage
potatoes
thyme
bay leaf
parsley
Brussels sprouts
mustard
white cabbage
salt & pepper
pork sausage
bacon
butter
casseler ribs
pork chops
boiled ham
green beans
white beans
Clean and coarsely chop the leek, turnips, carrots, green
cabbage, white cabbage, parsnip and celeriac. Strip the outer
leaves of the Brussels sprouts and score a cross in the top.
Cut the onion into half moons and fry them in butter until
golden brown. Drain both types of beans. Peel the potatoes
and divide them into four pieces.
Place all vegetables except the potatoes and beans in a kettle
and top up with water or vegetable stock. Add a bouquet garni
(thyme, bay leaf and parsley) and a pork shank. Season with
salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours.
Add the potatoes and beans 35 minutes before the end of the
cooking time. But the potatoes are optional, it doesn't have to
be in a lower starch version. The taste is no less, the binding
improves slightly when you add potatoes.
Fry all types of meat separately in a pan. All parts of the pig
are OK: cooked legs, bacon, sausages, ribs, chops, smelt,
casseler rib. Ears and tail are also possible, but I don't use
them in this version. For a more intense taste, the ears, legs
and tail can also be cooked together with the vegetables.
Serve the meat on a separate platter next to a deep bowl of
stew vegetables. If you prefer, you can also mix the meat and
vegetables, warm everything together and serve as one.
Finish on the plate with a generous spoonful of mustard.
There are really only two basic rules in the preparation of this
dish:
1 - there should be cabbages and especially Brussels sprouts
in the selection of vegetables;
2 - all pork meat is good, but don't use beef or veal.
The taste is even better if you leave the stew in the fridge
overnight.