Pork and Mushroom Stew with Apple-Potato Mash

By dmscott52

First made 10/19/2011. Excellent, served over the potatoes. Easy, comfort food.

Ingredients

• FOR Apple-Potato Mash:
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. butter
• 1-1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, dried with paper towels, seasoned with salt and black pepper.
• 8 oz. cremini mushrooms quartered. Can use white mushrooms.
• 1/2 cup sliced leeks or shallots
• 1/2 cup diced carrot (1 carrot)
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
• 3/4 cup apple cider or juice
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 T. minced fresh thyme or dried (use less)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cubed (1-1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 T. butter
• Salt, white pepper and grated nutmeg to taste

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high.( I used my Crueset dutch oven.) Add pork and saute until brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove pork to a plate; set aside.

2. Sweat mushrooms, leeks and carrot in same pan over medium heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

3. Deglaze the pan with sherry, scraping up any bits on bottom of pan, and reduce until evaporated. Stir in cider and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork with residual juices and 1 T. thyme. Simmer stew until thickened, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Apple-Potato Mash:
1. Boil potatoes and apple in a pot of salted water until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain. Return potatoes to pot over medium heat to dry, 1 minute.
Remove pot from heat; add half-and- half and butter.

2. Mash mixture with a potato masher, then season with slat, white pepper and nutmeg. Serve potatoes immediately or cover and keep warm.