PORK AND MUSHROOM RAGOUT

SERVES 6

This is a winner! One day I got some pork cubes out of the freezer that needed to be used and just went for it. Serve with buttered noodles.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-1/2 pounds lean pork cubes

1 large carrot, coarsely chopped

1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

3/4 pound button mushrooms, quartered

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon juniper berries

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup dry vermouth

1 can (14.5 ounces) low-salt chicken broth

1/2 cup cream

Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a stew pot over high heat. Add the pork in batches, browning all sides. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add the carrot, celery and onion. Sauté until slighlty softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Return the pork to the pot. Add the flour, juniper, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and more salt and pepper, if desired. Heat and stir until flour is well-combined with the vegetables and meat. Add the vermouth and chicken broth. Stir well until thickened. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until the pork is very tender, about 1-1/2 hours. (Add some water if the broth appears too thick.) Taste for seasoning. Add the cream and cook an additional 5 minutes but do not boil. Serve with buttered noodles. This is also very good reheated.

Note: The cream may be omitted if desired.

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