A sturdy forest stew, a Swedish classic, where the juniper berries highlight the earthiness of the mushrooms and your meat. Although moose was used for the original dish, we've adapted this version of the recipe to use common cuts of meat. Should one have some elk, venison (deer) or feral hog lying about, it would work well in this dish as well.
Begin by tossing your stew meat with a little salt and pepper to season.
Next place your Dutch oven (or braising pot of choice) on your stovetop and heat to medium-high heat. While heating, add the olive oil (or fat of choice) to the pan. Once the fat is heated, begin browning your stew meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the meat.
Once your meat is browned, place it on a plate or platter and reserve it for use later.
Now, add your chopped bacon and cook for about five minutes or until the bacon is rendering its flavor into the pan.
Toss, in your chopped onions and sauté until soft. This should take about five minutes.
Add the mushrooms and continue sautéing until the mushrooms begin to soften and most of their moisture is gone.
Return the browned meat and give it a good stir. Now add the crushed juniper berries and stir thoroughly. Continue to cook until the juniper berries become aromatic, about 3-5 minutes.
Quickly add the red wine and scrape the goodies from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the wine is reduced by half.
Once reduced add the stock, tomato puree, dried plums and bay leaves. Stir until well combined. Return your pot to a boil, reduce to low, and simmer.
Place a dampened and oiled cartouche over the top of the stew.
Place the lid on the pot and simmer for a minimum of 2 hours. (See note 4 regarding pressure cooker and crockpot use)
After the cooking time, remove and discard your cartouche and stir. Taste and correct seasoning as required.
At this point, you can reduce the liquid to the consistency desired or use the corn starch for thickening. If using corn starch, mix 2 tablespoons with 2 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl. When thoroughly mixed slowly mix into the stew while stirring. Cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the stew is at the consistency you wish, taste again, and if additional seasoning is required, adjust.
In a sauté pan, heat the butter on medium-high and fry apples until soft and browning.
Remove from heat and place on top of the stew when serving or if you prefer, serve on the side.
Please note that the quantities can be changed by entering the amount you wish in the quantity indicator. However, the metric will not change.