Bigos Staropolski

Mushroom, Prune, Dry red wine, Black pepper, Allspice, Juniper berry, Bacon, Butter, Onion, Tomato paste, Fermented cabbage (without sugar), Cabbage, Pork, Mustard seeds, Bay leaf, Water, Olive oil, Apples, Cumin

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Rinse the dried white mushrooms (80 g) and soak them in cold water (0.5 l) for several hours or overnight.

Cut the pitted prunes (250 g) into pieces, pour in a glass of dry red wine, and leave for several hours to soak.

Lightly roast black peppercorns (1 tsp.) and allspice berries (2 tsp.), as well as juniper berries (2 tsp.), over medium heat and grind them in a mortar.

Take a large pot with a thick bottom and place it over medium heat.

Add the diced lard or bacon (150 g) to the pot and fry, stirring, until most of the fat has rendered and the lard is crispy.

Then add butter (2 tbsp.) and finely chopped onion (2 large onions), continuing to fry for another 5 minutes.

Next, add tomato paste (2 tbsp.) and rinsed sauerkraut (1 kg), mix well, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Remove the outer leaves from the white cabbage (1.5 kg), cut out the core, thinly shred the remaining cabbage, and add it to the pot with the vegetables.

Also, cut the peeled sour apples (2 pcs.) and add them to the pot, along with the prunes and wine, as well as the mushrooms and the water they were soaked in.

Bring the mixture to a boil and add the spices:

• mustard seeds (1.5 tsp.);
• cumin (1.5 tsp.);
• bay leaves (3-4 pcs.).

After that, mix everything thoroughly.

Cut the hunter sausages (300 g), smoked ham (400 g), and any other smoked meats, if desired, into pieces and fry them in vegetable oil (1 tbsp.) for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to the pot with the vegetables.

Simmer the bigos over low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

You can also place the pot in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for the same amount of time.

It is important to monitor the liquid level to prevent it from evaporating, and if necessary, add water (0.5 l) or wine (2 glasses).

At the end of cooking, check for salt and pepper, and if the dish is too sour, add a little honey (1-2 tbsp.) to adjust the taste.

It is believed that bigos fully matures on the second or third day after re-stewing.