Polish Hunter Stew (Bigos)
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Not for vegetarians!
This is just crammed with meats and
sausages, with the sweetness of
apples more than balanced by the
sharpness of sauerkraut--but it's hearty
and delicious and really quite unforgettable.
Traditionally served in Poland as a good-luck
New Year's dish, it was originally eaten only
by the Polish aristocracy (they being the
only ones allowed to hunt game on their
estates...and the only ones who could afford
so much meat).
Many many folks have written in to comment and
amend--please see their remarks below. In the
meantime, serve hot to 6 people as a filling
meal, with boiled potatoes, a dish of sour
cream, and lots of bread on the side.
------------------------------
1 cup chopped bacon
1 pound of boneless pork, cut into small cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 onions, quartered
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered
2 cups beef stock
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed under cold water and drained
3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
2 cups canned tomatoes, with juice, cut into pieces
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 and 1/2 cups Polish sausage, cut into small chunks
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: sour cream, served on the side
Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven, to render the fat, then toss in the pork chunks,
garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Saute until the meat is browned--about 5
minutes.
Pour in the stock, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, bay leaves, sauerkraut,
and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2
hours. Stir in the ham and sausage, then cover and cook on medium-low heat for
about 30 more minutes.
When ready to serve, remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Ladle into
bowls and serve with boiled potatoes, a bowl of sour cream, and thick, crusty
bread.
Comments and variations:
AUTHENTICITY ALERT! I've been contacted by Kazimierz Ziezio, who gives the
following excellent advice to true hunters: "Some Hunter's stew--Where's the
game? Add vension! Maybe some pheasant and rabbit. Saute the meat in butter add
good Hungarian paprika, then saut� the mushrooms in the drippings. Add the best
kielbasa you can afford. Not to do a plug, but go to www.Hapskielbasa.com if
you can't find kielbasa made by a Pole. Wash the kraut out of the sourkraut!
Then slowly cook the Bigos a few times in a crock for a few days. Serve it with
sour cream, rye bread, good beer or dry mead!!" Kaz, prompted by me, says about
himself, "My dad was not a hunter, but my uncles were. My dad would usually
make Bigos for his poker games with the guys he grew up with on the Polish side
of Utica, NY. That was where I learned to make his variation & play poker. But
I've also had Bigos in a Polish-Chinese resturant that used to be open locally
where the Polish chef made "Bigos from Warsawa"--tomato based & completely
meatless! And in Poland where it resembled spare ribs & sour kraut. There are
as many variations as there are Polish kitchens. Wesolych Swiat!"
Sophie Dill of Las Vegas, Nevada, notes: "being of Polish heritage--this soup
always included chunks of potato. Also, adding 1/2 head of fresh cabbage makes
it a much healthier soup! Otherwise, it brings back memories of "soup for
dinner"--about 5 nights a week when I was growing up, about 50 years ago!!"
Kazimierz Michalak adds that, from an eastern Poland point of view, the best
variation is the one that uses equal parts sauerkraut and cabbage in the
mix--and game, of course.
Wladek Wolanski of Coatbridge says, "My father was from Drochobycz in pre-war
Poland and often took over the kitchen to cook Bigos,which was rich, hearty and
utterly delicious.He used to add stewing steak and pork with plenty garlic,
also canned tomatoes and tomato puree to the recipe.His friend , my Uncle Tony
was a Polish butcher who made a vast array of Kielbasa which was
enthusiastically added to the pot.Usually the more piwo that had been consumed
, the better the resulting dish seemed to be.Not a classical chef tip but
nonetheless it "seemed" to work. Bigos has been a great addition to Scottish
nights in our family especially big football matches wiyh a good crowd of
friends round."
Here's Shirley P., trying it for the first time: "At the time when I was making
it, I kept thinking, this is a weird soup. But now every bowl I have, I like it
more. I look forward to coming home and having a bowl of it."
--
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