Kig ha Farz Breton Stew

Shopping list

• 400 g pork belly — bone-in if possible

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• 400 g beef brisket

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• 200 g smoked bacon — in one piece

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• 1 piece onion — peeled and halved

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• 3 piece carrots — peeled, cut into chunks

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• 2 piece leeks — trimmed, halved lengthways

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• 1 piece turnip — peeled, quartered

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• 0.5 piece cabbage — cut into wedges

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• 2 piece bay leaf

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• 1 tsp black peppercorns

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• 200 g buckwheat flour

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• 100 g plain flour

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• 2 piece eggs — beaten

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• 150 ml milk

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• 50 g butter — melted, for dumpling

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• 1 tsp salt — for dumpling

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• 3 piece shallots — finely chopped

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• 100 g butter — for sauce

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• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

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Step by step

1. 1

   Place the pork belly, beef brisket and bacon in a very large pot. Cover with cold water (about 2.5 litres) and bring to the boil over high heat. Skim off any grey foam that rises to the surface.

2. 2

   Add the halved onion, bay leaves and peppercorns. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, prepare the farz dumpling. In a bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, plain flour and 1 tsp salt. Make a well, add the beaten eggs, milk and 50 g melted butter. Stir until you have a thick, smooth batter.

4. 4

   Generously butter a pudding basin or heatproof bowl (about 1 litre capacity) and pour in the batter. Cover tightly with buttered foil, tying with string to seal.

5. 5

   After the meats have simmered for 1 hour 30 minutes, carefully lower the covered pudding basin into the broth, resting it on top of the meats. Add the carrots, turnip, leeks and cabbage wedges around the basin. Top up with boiling water if needed to keep everything submerged. Simmer for a further 1 hour.

6. 6

   While the stew finishes, make the sauce. Melt 100 g butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and cook gently for 5– 6 minutes until very soft but not coloured. Stir in the white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt, then remove from heat.

7. 7

   Lift out the pudding basin, unwrap and turn the farz out onto a board. Slice thickly. Remove the meats and vegetables to a large serving platter. Slice the meats and arrange with the vegetables.

8. 8

   Ladle some hot broth into bowls. Serve the sliced meats, vegetables and farz slices on plates, spooning the warm shallot butter sauce over the farz and meats. Offer extra broth on the side.