Pork and Apple Stew

This is a recipe I made up when our house was having major building works done and our kitchen consisted of a single electric hob in the dining room. In later years I’ve added the dumplings.

If you finish off cooking the stew in the oven the dumplings will brown more than shown in the photos.

This serves two generously.

Ingredients

For the stew

  • 2 Pork shoulder steaks about 300 grams
  • 2 Tbsp plain flour
  • salt and pepper
  • 0.5 Tsp dried sage
  • 2 Tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 2 parsnips chopped
  • 1 vegetable stock pot
  • 250ml dry cider
  • 1 bramley apple

For dumplings

  • 110 grams self raising flour
  • 100 grams plain full fat yoghurt
  • 0.5 tsp chopped parsley

Method

In a cast iron casserole dish, or similar that will go on both the stove top and in the oven.

  • Heat the oil in a cast iron pot.
  • Chop the pork into bite seized pieces.
  • Mix the flour, sage, salt and pepper together. Toss the pork in the seasoned flour.
  • Add the pork to the pot and brown the meat all over. Then lift out of the pot and leave to one side.
  • Add a touch more oil to the pot if required then add the onion, cook until soft.
  • Add the garlic and parsnips, stir well.
  • Return the pork to the pot and add enough cider to almost cover the pork. Add the stock pot and stir in.
  • Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. This is when I put the pot on top of our stove to gently simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Or you can pop the pot into a preheated oven 160C/140C fan Gas 3 for 90 minutes.
  • Peel, core and chop the apple and add to the pot, stir in and cover, leave to bubble for 30 minutes.
  • Mix the dumpling ingredients together in a bowl. The mixture will be slightly sticky. Divide the mixture into 6 and roll into balls.
  • Lift the lid off the pot. Give the stew a good stir then add the dumplings to the surface of the stew. Brush the dumplings with a little oil.
  • If cooking on the stove top, pop the lid back on and cook for a further 45 minutes, the dumplings will slightly puff up.
  • If cooking in the oven turn the oven up to 200C/180C fan/ Gas 6. Return to the oven uncovered for 20 minutes until the dumplings have browned and puffed up slightly.
  • Serve with jacket or mashed potatoes and some green vegetable like brocolli or cabbage.

Enjoy.