Bigos (Polish hunter's stew)
Bigos is a hunter's stew that improves with time, its flavors deepening across days of reheating. This Polish classic layers beef, sausage, and bacon with cabbage and mushrooms, building complexity through a technique called "reheating method" where flavors marry and intensify. The result tastes better on day three than day one, making it ideal for cooking ahead and perfect for feeding a crowd without last-minute stress.
Instructions
step 1 Put the cabbage in a heavy casserole dish, add the stock and cook over a low heat for about 50 mins, until tender. step 2 Cut the soaked mushrooms into strips and save the soaking water.
Heat the lard and fry the sausages and bacon, then scoop out, leaving the fat in the pan.
Fry the onion in the same pan for 5-8 mins until lightly browned. step 3 Add the mushrooms and their liquid along with all the cooked meat, onions and prunes, then cover and cook for 20 mins.
Add the spices, red wine and tomato purée and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 1 hr.
Season well and leave to cool.
Will keep covered and chilled for up to two days.
Bigos improves in flavour over a couple of days.
Leave to cool first.
Reheat until piping hot before serving..
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