Ready for some savoury fall flavours? Nothing hits the spot like Pyro chef and Kitchen Party competitor Max Straczek’s take on his mother’s classic Polish cabbage and sausage stew, bigos. It’s easy to make, hearty and delicious.
“Fancier than my mom’s but still rooted in the classic.” –chef Max Straczek, Pyro at L’oca.
| ¼ lb | unsalted butter |
| 4 slices | smoked bacon cut in lardons or strips |
| 1 lg | or 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced |
| 1 clove | garlic, peeled and chopped |
| 1 t | crushed juniper berries and 1 tsp caraway seeds, tied in a muslin bag |
| 300 ml | white wine |
| 50 ml | white wine vinegar |
| salt and black pepper to taste | |
| 1 med | Savoy cabbage |
| 1 T | grapeseed oil |
| 500 g | smoked pork sausage, sliced |
In a frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook until they are lightly brown and rendered. Add the onions, garlic, and the bag of juniper berries. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the juniper berries. Pour the wine into the pan and bring to a boil. Let it reduce until you have a thin syrup, approximately 50-100 ml remaining. Stir in the white wine vinegar and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then remove from the heat. Strain the onions, keeping both the onions and the cooking liquid aside. Halve the cabbage and remove the tough core. Separate the leaves and slice them into 5mm-wide strips.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the reserved onions, bacon, cooking liquid and the sausage, then continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving. Enjoy!
Serves 4-6.