Stewing in autumn

Autumn Pork Stew

By Bev Bennett
Los Angeles Times Syndicate

(Los Angeles Times Syndicate) -- I never get bored with fall's colorful wardrobe. Taking a long walk along the lake near my home, I delight in the gold and yellow maple leaves. Bushes the color of Beaujolais wine catch my eye. And the same hues I see on my path are replicated in farm stands: red peppers, golden sweet potatoes and earthy mushrooms, to name a few. No wonder many chefs say autumn is their favorite season for cooking.

I, too, am always inspired by the harvest, perhaps too inspired to judge from my shopping habits. I have hard-shell squash piled high like an architectural display on the counter, potatoes weigh down a basket hanging in a kitchen corner, and the refrigerator is packed so full of red and yellow peppers that they spill out whenever I open the door.

Making stews is the only way to contain my overindulgence. I chop and saute until I've whittled down my produce buys to a manageable mound of vegetables. Sometimes I make a vegetarian stew with peppers, eggplant and mushrooms; other times I prefer a meaty stew that is chock-full of vegetables.

One of my favorite concoctions includes garlic, citrus and mushrooms, a combination that's robust, sweet and savory. I use these ingredients as a base for the following pork stew. The rich-tasting blend of pork and vegetables flavored with orange liqueur and orange rind perfumes my kitchen.

I suggest serving this entree with a salad of apple, napa cabbage, walnuts and a walnut oil vinaigrette dressing.

Autumn Pork Stew