Latvian Stew Recipes

SLOW-COOKER PORK STEW

Steps:

• Combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger in a slow cooker. Toss in half of the flour and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the bay leaves over the vegetables.
• Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the thyme and allspice and toss with the remaining flour to coat. Place the pork over the vegetables in the slow cooker. Add 2 cups water and the tomatoes, cover and cook on low 8 hours.
• Discard the bay leaves. Remove the pork roast and slice or pull the meat off the bone into large pieces. Serve in bowls with the vegetables and broth.

LATVIAN STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• If using bone-in shoulder, remove the bone. Trim the visible fat from the pork and cut into large chunks. Sprinkle generously with salt/pepper.
• Heat half of the olive oil and half the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium low heat.
• When the sizzling on the butter starts to slow down, turn up the heat to medium. Add the pork pieces and brown on 2 sides, about a 1 - 2 minutes per side. You should do this in 2 to 3 batches to keep from overcrowding the pot. Add more oil and butter as needed.
• Transfer browned pork pieces to a bowl.
• Start preheating oven to 350°F.
• Add the onions and garlic to the Dutch oven and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook the onion for 20 - 30 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions start to caramelize (darken). If the onion starts to brown on the edge, turn the heat down a bit.
• Once the onion is a rich brown, add the chile flakes, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, oregano. Stir for 1 minute. Return heat to medium.
• Add the beer and deglaze the pot. Stir in the tomato paste.
• Return the pork pieces to the pot with any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl.
• Add 2 cups water.
• Add the carrots and half of the apricots. Stir to incorporate. Liquid should be a little below the top of the ingredients as shown below. Add more water if needed. Spread the rest of the apricots on top.
• Cover and transfer to oven.
• Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and check meat by using 2 forks to gently pull apart a chunk of pork. The meat is done when the piece easily separates. If meat is not pull apart tender, you'll need to cook another 30 minutes. But before returning to the oven...
• check the liquid level. The liquid should have decreased and started to thicken. If you can't see any liquid then add ½ cup of water. At the end of 1 ½ hours you want the liquid thick and flavorful so, if it doesn't need more liquid, then don't add it. If needed, cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir in parsley. Serve in large bowls with a crusty baguette.

PORK STEW WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
• Add in the cubed pork and brown in batches; transfer to a bowl.
• To the same pot, add in onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until tender (about 8-10 minutes).
• Add in flour and stir with spoon for about 3 minutes.
• Add in broth, apple cider, beer, Dijon mustard, coriander, cinnamon salt and pepper; stir to combine and bring to a boil.
• Add in the chopped carrots and return the browned pork back with any juices from the plate to the pot.
• Cover and place in the oven for about 1 - 1-1/2 hours, or until the pork is tender and the liquid is reduced (add in apricots the last 25 minutes of cooking).
• Season with salt and pepper.

PORK STEW WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large Dutch oven or casserole over medium-high heat. Add pork in batches and cook until brown, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl using slotted spoon.
• Add onions and garlic to same pan and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add flour and stir 3 minutes. Mix in broth, cider, beer, mustard, coriander, cinnamon and salt and bring mixture to boil. Return pork and any juices in bowl to Dutch oven. Stir in apricots and prunes. Cover and bake 1 hour. Remove lid from Dutch oven and continue baking until pork is tender and liquid is reduced to sauce consistency, about 45 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.