good stew but not great...yet
pan-searing flour or wondra
salt
pepper
4 Pork Chops
vegetable oil
Herb de Provence (with thyme, sage, basil, oregano, tarragon, and, yes, I think, lavender.) from Penzeys
2 C chicken stock
1/2 onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
5 small carrots, peeled and chunked
5 small beets, chunked
2 leeks, chunked
4 potatoes, chunked
1/2 red wine
1/2 bay leaf
cast iron skillet with lid
salt and pepper, then dredge meat in flour
heat skillet on medium and add oil to hot but not smoking
add herbs
add meat, brown, turn and push to side
add onions and celery till wilted
add stock, leeks and root vegetables
add wine
thicken
hold with a cover
good.
necessary improvements:
pork chop was 1" and that's too thick for a short cook braise (ie 1 hr) so either this needs to cook for a few hours or use very thin chops or ... use dark meat chicken (or frog's legs or rabbit)
herbs de provence has lots of lavender or tarragon, so theoretically, need to come up with the right mix and total amount. I used maybe 1 T and that was way to much - next time, maybe 1 t or less augmented by correcting during long cook like chicken soup
needs mushrooms for body
get rid of the bay leaf
don't make this to thick and you can serve it with a bread and wine