Pork Apple Stew with Golden Potatoes

Ingredients

• For the stew
• 1kg stewing pork or pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt & pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small red onions, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 large carrot, cut diagonally into ¾-inch slices
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, washed and cut into 1-inch slices
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 cups dry cider
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves picked off and reserved for the topping
• 2 firm sweet apples, such as Galas
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 handfuls dark leafy greens, chopped
• For the crispy potatoes
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced ¼–inch thick
• 2 medium yellow potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt & pepper
• Sour cream and chopped sage, for serving

Directions

1. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the pork into a large mixing bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Scatter over the flour and toss well to evenly coat. Add the olive oil to the pan and sear the pork until golden brown all over, working in batches as needed in order to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove the seared pork to a dish or plate and set aside.
3. Add the onions, carrot, and leek to the pot and cook just until they begin to develop a little colour, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic along with any flour that remains in the bottom of the bowl and cook for 1 more minute. Add the pork and any of its juices back into the pan then deglaze with the cider, scraping the bottom well to pick up any caramelized bits. Stir in the stock and sage sprigs and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the apples by peeling and cutting into 8 to 12 wedges, toss with the lemon juice, and set aside with the chopped greens. Prepare the potato topping by tossing the sliced sweet and yellow potatoes, red onion, and sage with the cream to evenly coat and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
5. Heat your oven to 400ºF. Once the stew has simmered, uncover, remove the sage sprigs, and stir in the apples and greens. Evenly top with the potato mixture and carefully transfer to the oven to bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown on top.
6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving with sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh sage.