The summer of 1987 when I stepped into Cook’s Magazine’s kitchen as the new test cook, their November/December issue was nearly off to the printer. I helped with a few photo shoots and tested a few stray recipes, but January/February 1988 was my first full issue.
An article entitled A Bistro-Style Dinner For 8 was first in for testing. Written by the late Michael McLaughlin (of Silver Palate fame), the menu was anchored with a casual comforting stew. It was not the predictable beef variety with carrots and celery, potatoes and peas, but rather rugged chunks of pork shoulder whose distinct yet subtle flavors came from anchovies and orange. Stir-fried multi-colored bell peppers and piquant black olives added bold color and flavor. I will always remember this stew as one of the first really great recipes I ever tested, and its unique flavor has become part of my taste memory. For years McLaughlin’s stew was the centerpiece at at least one of my fall dinner parties.
But in the mid-nineties I started writing cookbooks, and testing and developing my own recipes became a priority. McLaughlin’s stew fell from my repertoire but not from my memory. Twenty-eight years passed, and finally this fall I decided it was time to make McLaughlin’s Pork Stew with Peppers and Olives again.
It took some time to find my old January/February copy of Cook’s Magazine but finally I emerged proudly clutching the issue. I sat at the kitchen table reminiscing as I paged past the regular department called Kitchen Garden by Alice Waters and Therese Shere and the double page ad for Time Life Books. There was a feature entitled Inspired Recipes from 9 Young Chefs. Emeril Lagasse, Margaret Fox, Robert Del Grande, Todd English, and Michael Chiarella were among the new hot talent.
But as I flipped though A Bistro-Style Dinner for 8, I quickly realized the page with the stew recipe was missing. At some point over the years I had pulled it from the magazine to make the stew, and now it was gone. I panicked. I started with Google, typing in every key word I could think. Nothing came up.
Finally I gave in. Like Luke Skywalker, it was time to cook blind. Using the formula I had developed over the years, I made the stew. And it was darned close to my taste memory too. I’m not certain about eternity, but I’m pretty sure Michael was with me as I made the stew and that he lives on.
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½ to 2-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 each: yellow, red, and orange bell pepper, stemmed seeded and cut into 8 wedges
- 1 large onion, cut into medium dice
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- Finely grate zest and juice from 1 large orange
- ½ can (2 ounces) anchovies, finely minced (or 2 tablespoons anchovy paste)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dry red or white wine
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Heat a heavy-bottom soup kettle or 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over low heat. Meanwhile, place meat cubes in a medium bowl; coat with 1 tablespoon of oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- A few minutes before cooking, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot; increase heat to a strong medium-high until wisps of smoke start to rise from the pan. Add peppers; sauté until lightly brown and tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from pot; set aside.
- Working in 2 batches, add meat; sear, turning only once until 2 sides form an impressive, dark brown crust, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot empty skillet; add onions; sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, herbes de Provence, orange zest, and anchovy paste; cook until fragrant, about a minute. Whisk in flour, then broth, wine, and orange juice, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Return pork to pot, along with bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and using a potholder to protect hands, press a sheet of heavy-duty foil down so that it touches the stew. Seal foil completely around the edges. Place lid snugly on pot, set in oven, and cook for 1½ hours.
- Remove pot from oven and set over low heat. Carefully remove foil; stir in peppers and olives. Remembering that kettle and lid are hot, re-cover pot and simmer to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Serve.
As I said in my comments on Facebook, this recipe is truly of the “hang-and-frame” variety! I am so glad this is on the blog. I’ll be making it often this winter 🙂
We just enjoyed this yesterday (thanks, Mom!) with a hunk of bread and a glass of French red. The flavors are so rich and comforting, the meat is fall-apart tender, the bell peppers give it brightness, and the olives lend a lovely piquant kick. Total winter perfection!
As I said yesterday, this is my kind of meal. I don’t care much for the Thanksgiving dinner with its separate piles of meat, veggies, and starch. Give me a bowl of stew that hugs its contents with a deep, rich sauce and I am a happy girl. Throw in some bread and wine, and I am in heaven!
Thanks for a new classic, Mama! It’s a joy to see you back in the kitchen.
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it
And it looks like it came out beautifully, Pam! I can definitely see the appeal of a meaty stew on a cold, winter day… and I plan on bookmarking this one to make Eric when we get hit with our first snow storm.
So good to see a Three Many Cooks post! I love the looks of this recipe and will definitely give it a go. This may be a ridiculous question, but everyone in my family except me dislikes bell peppers. Any other veggies that might work? Fennel? Celery? Leek? Canned tomatoes?
Hey Jennifer,
You can add any vegetable your family likes to the stew–just add them at the end. Just sauté tender vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, celery, leeks, and fennel. Steam (or roast) firm vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and root vegetables. Good luck with Thanksgiving. BTW I applaud your decision to order the meal. If the cook is happy, everyone is happy. If the cook is not happy, no one will have any fun!
This looks amazing!! I would love a bowl right now. Seems like it would warm the soul.
If that recipe was anything like the one he had in his New American Kitchen Cookbook for Pork Ragout, you sure came close! The photograph makes it look so enticing. Several of your recipes have made it to my dinner table, thank you.
This stew looks so delicious that I’m planning on trying it this week. I am curious, though, about the 450 degree oven temperature. Does the stew cook at this temp for the entire one and a half hours?
Hey Diana, The 450 degree temperature is totally correct. It’s like making your stew in a pressure cooker–the meat is tender and the juices are rich. It’s the only way I stew now.
Thank you, Pam, so much for your response. The stew was delicious and I learned a new technique. Happy New Year!
Great idea – – enjoy! 🙂
Just wanted to say I am missing you all! I do hope you have a blessed Easter!!!
hmmm….an interesting recipe – i’ve got to try this one!
thinking of making this, but I don’t feel comfortable about the foil on top of the food. I don’t
even use just foil when cooking veg in foil packets on the bbq {and i gotta say here, that I’ve been using gas bbq for just about every meal be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. In fact I’d probably make this in a dutch oven in the bbq…my gas bbq is wonderful when using a dutch oven…just really reduce the time}. anyway I typically put parchment paper between the food and the foil. Since working as a cook in a long term care facility years ago {it was protocol in the kitchen that foil didn’t touch food}. I’ve just always cooked that way. Thanks for the recipe. Enjoying your book three many cooks.
curious about the coconut chicken curry recipe on THE BACK OF THE BOAT.
This is a good budget dish that looks and tastes impressive. I have regularly made it for friends and family over the past two years and it has always been a huge success. It is so delicious I really wanted to comment as it seems unfair there are no reviews for such a good recipe!
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it
nice write up about PORK STEW.
I was looking for pork shoulder recipes and found your version. I have an old cookbook from 1989, The Best of Cook’s Magazine Volume Two. It has Michael McLaughlin’s recipe for Pork Stew with Sweet Peppers on Page 161. There are many other recipes by him in the book.
If you are still interested and don’t already have a copy, here is the link for a used copy on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+best+of+cooks+magazine+volume+2
I will try a version tomorrow. Love your recipes and website.
Thank you for this link!
You’re welcome!
Ah, but I have the original recipe. In my own, very favorite issue of Cook’s Magazine. Here it is.
The intriguing flavor of this satisfying pork stew results form the combination of orange juice, Provencal herbs, and garlic. The bell peppers add a zesty sweetness, and the anchovies a rich subtle background that few will identify. The stew is equally good made with lamb.
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder
2 onions
1 1/2 T chopped fresh oregano, or 1 1/2 t dried
1 1/2 T chopped fresh thyme, or 1 1/2 t dried
1 1/2 T chopped fresh basil, or 1 1/2 t dried
6 cloves garlic
12 anchovy fillets
1 orange
1/2 c olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 c flour
1 1/2 c chicken stock
1 c dry white wine
3 red bell peppers or a combination of green, red and yellow peppers
6 oz imported black olives (about 1 c)
Cut the pork into 1 1/2 ” cubes. Chop the onions, herbs. Mince the garlic and anchovies. Squeeze the juice from the orange.
Heat oven to 350F. In a large stockpot, heat 2T olive oil over medium heat, and brown the pork, working in batches to avoid overcrowding, until golden. Add more oil as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon.
Add 3T oil to the pot, and over medium heat stir in the onions, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil and bay leaf. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add the flour, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, about 3 min more.
Stir in the chicken stock, wine, orange juice, anchovies, and pork, including any accumulated meat juices. Bring the stew to a boil, cover and cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Stir, and continue cooking until tender, about 45 min more.
Meanwhile, core, quarter, and seed the bell peppers. Rinse the olives. In a frying pan, heat the remaining 8T oil over high heat. Add the bell peppers and saute until browned, about 5 min. Sire the peppers and olives into the stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stew can be made several days ahead. Bring to a simmer if made ahead, and serve.
Yeild: 8 servings.
Thank you, thank you!
Hello- with the publication of your new book – is this site going to become more active? Thanks – Greg
It’s been a busy three years away from the blog. We may at some point re-activate. Thanks for checking in.
Can this be done I the slow cooker?
Sure, just make the necessary time adjustments, but I believe this stew tastes richer and more flavorful when cooked in a hot oven.
I have the above recipe copied ,however could not remember where it came from. I’m making it next week and looking forward to the wonderful flavors
I found it in an old recipe box.