Stew Over This

The weather outside is not delightful. In fact, it's downright crappy. Frightful, if you will. Cold as the proverbial witch's you know what. Add to that a pelting sleet. It's Bear weather.

Screw that. Let's grab some pork neck and make a hearty ragout. I grabbed a recipe from an article by Steve Manfredi (google is your friend). I have to say it was tasty. Yes, I have to, but it actually was.

I used everyone's pal, the pinto bean. I also left a few hunks on the bone because I think it looks cool and there's the bonus of potential choking victims. The long simmer really blended everything together well.



The real jewel of the evening was a pan-fried pear bit I threw together on a whim, based on a recipe from the BBC Food website. Base of piled herbs (mint, tarragon, basil, parsley, salt and pepper). Laid over that, a warm and golden pear, courtesy of a few minutes in a pan with butter. Topped with a dressing of oil, balsamic, mustard and crispy pancetta crumble. Simple preparation for a complex flavor.