Comforting fall stew ties together French, Minnesota influences

Normandy, in northern France, has a culinary kinship with Minnesota. We both have a special affinity for apples and all apple-related products. Both enjoy more than our fair share of dairy, whether it comes in the form of cheese, ice cream, butter (although I'm not sure they carve it into busts at fairs), milk or cream. We also both love comfort foods, especially if they are made from our favorite things.

We're pulling from all of the above categories this week to make an especially autumnal dish — Normandy-Style Pork Stew with Apple Cider and Bacon.

Creamy, luxurious and loaded with fork-tender pork and melt-in-your-mouth shallots, this sophisticated stew is both savory and slightly sweet with the addition of apple cider. The flavor doesn't stop there, though.

Calvados, a French apple brandy, is used to deglaze the pot after browning the pork and shallots. It gives the dish a flavor that's hard to describe, but definitely makes an impact. Bacon lends a smoky note and a welcome hit of saltiness with every bite. And crème fraîche gives the stew its creaminess, along with a hint of tang.

Crème fraîche, as the name suggests, is rooted in France, but can now be found in most grocery stores in the United States, often in the specialty cheese section. It's a creamier, milder cousin to sour cream and the perfect addition to soups, stews and sauces, as its higher fat content makes it less prone to curdling when simmered.

All combined, these ingredients make for a memorable cold-weather meal. I like to serve this stew with mashed potatoes, but buttered noodles or rice would also be delicious.

Serves 6.

Creamy and savory, with just a hint of sweetness, this French classic is the ultimate fall dish. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or buttered noodles, as desired. From Meredith Deeds.

• 3 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed, cut into 2-in. pieces

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 6 medium shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

• 1/4 c. Calvados or apple brandy

• 1 1/2 c. chicken stock

• 1 c. apple cider

• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 thyme sprigs

• 2/3 c. crème fraîche

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1/4 c. chopped chives, plus more for garnish

Directions

Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the pork, turning the pieces to coat.

Heat oil in a large, heavy, oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches (do not overcrowd), brown pork on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer pork to a plate.

Add shallots to pot and cook, turning occasionally, until shallots begin to brown on each side, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to plate with pork.

Remove pot from the heat; add the Calvados and stir, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Return to heat and simmer for 1 minute. Add stock, apple cider, vinegar, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then return pork shoulder and shallots to pot.

Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, stirring after 1 hour, until the pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Place pot back on the stove and remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme. Stir in reserved bacon, crème fraîche, Dijon mustard and chives into the sauce. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or vinegar, if needed. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two, until hot. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with chives.