Bigos (Polish hunter's stew)

1. Put the cabbage in a heavy casserole, add the stock, and cook over low heat for about 50 minutes until tender.
2. Cut the soaked mushrooms into strips, keeping the soaking water. Heat the lard and fry the sausages and bacon, then scoop them out, leaving the fat behind, and fry the onion in the same pan for 5 to 8 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add the mushrooms and their liquid along with all the cooked meat, onions and prunes, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Add the spices, red wine and tomato purée, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 1 hour.
5. Season well and leave to cool, since bigos improves over a couple of days. Cool it first, then reheat until piping hot before serving. It keeps covered and chilled for up to two days.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Soften the cabbage in stock before anything else, so it melts into the stew rather than staying crunchy.
• Keep the mushroom soaking water and add it to the pot. It brings a lovely earthy depth to the broth.
• Do not leave out the prunes. Their quiet sweetness is what balances the sourness of the sauerkraut.
• Cool it and reheat it over a couple of days. That resting is where the flavour turns deep and rounded.