Spiced orange pork stew

This one-pot dinner is easy to make and offers a twist on a traditional stew; a citrus twist! Instead of cooking in stock or just water, these tender pieces of pork and vegetables are slowly simmered in orange juice spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Leeks add the perfect savoury background. The result is a bright, fragrant fall dinner.

I couldn't quite wait for the official arrival of fall to make a stew. Mornings and evenings are cooler and that's a good enough reason for me to start returning to slowly simmered meats and vegetables. Besides, some of the leeks in the garden were ready to pick and I really wanted to use them in a meal like this.

Here's how I made it:

a splash of olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp dried oregano

2 lbs pork loin, cut into 1-inch chunks

5 cups leeks, sliced and well rinsed

2 1/2 cups potato, cut into 1-inch chunks, skins on

2 cups baby carrots

2 cups orange juice

3 1/2 cups water

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

While my oil warmed over medium-high heat in my largest stock pot, I combined the flour and oregano in a large mixing bowl. The chunks of pork were tossed in the flour mixture to coat then added to the stock pot, cooking for several minutes until brown on all sides. I added the remaining ingredients and stirred to combine, then increased the heat to high. Once boiling, I lowered the heat to low and simmered the stew, covered, stirring occasionally for 90 minutes.

I love the comfort and tradition of stew. Even when the stew isn't that traditional at all.

Are you a stew person? What sorts of slowly simmered meals are your favourites?