Stewed Pork w/Chestnuts and Mushrooms, Fantastic!

It is a classic Tuscan recipe from the mountain culinary tradition, where chestnut trees cover the land and their fruits have fed the people there for centuries. The porcini, or portabella, mushrooms can be fresh or dried. The tradition has them dry as this is the way they used to be preserved for months, retaining all the flavor and the nutrition. It is a rich recipe, tasty and hearty, great for winter days, when the family gathers around a table without hurry, savoring the moment. It is not a recipe for the uncompromising, who will see in this dish a threat to the diet. But then again, stretching a point just once a week is not going to do any harm.

There are more modern versions of this recipe. One also calls for grated ginger, but that is a way too exotic ingredient and would spoil the taste of this traditional Tuscan dish. The following is the original recipe.

Ingredients for 4 people:

800 grams of pork meat to be stewed, preferably with some fat attached, not too lean. Although it is cholesterol, you need that one too every now and then. 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 white onion, 1 glass of red wine, maybe Sangiovese Novello, 25 Chestnut, a handful of dried porcini mushrooms, a spoonful of tomato paste, extra virgin olive oil as needed, salt, black pepper to taste, a bay leaf (which prevents intestinal gas!).

Preparation:

In a crock or in a heavy bottom pan, brown the chopped onion, celery and carrot with enough olive oil (2 to 3 tbsp), then add the meat and slowly sear it in the pan. Meantime, set the mushrooms to soak in hot water for 2 hour or so, then filter and save the soaking water aside; 6 tablespoons of it should be enough. Put the chestnuts in the pressure cooker and cook them with a bay leaf for about 25 minutes since it whistles. If you use a regular pot, boil for 1 hour. When the meat is well browned, pour the wine in and let soften, then add the tomato paste, the mushroom water and stir often with a wooden spoon. Add the chestnuts that you must previously peel and coarsely crush. Add the pepper, the mushrooms, and the salt. Add it at last so the meat is more tender. Add olive oil if needed and serve hot with a side of yellow polenta (corn meal).