PEANUT BUTTER PORK STEW

Some stews that I make are more vegetable based than meat based while others have a few vegetables added but the focus is the meat.  This stew is a meat based stew.  You can add more vegetables than what is suggested in this recipe.  For example you could add celery, carrots and grated zucchini.

You can use a variety of cuts of meat and this recipe would be a chicken or a beef based stew.  In the freezer we had some thick boneless pork loin chops so I used these lean chops to make the stew.  I like adding peanut butter to recipes and I have posted several recipes that use peanut butter as one of the ingredients.  This stew is a good recipe and you can serve it with rice if desired.

I used an emile henry cast iron pot to make the stew.  A cast iron pot is great to have as it goes from stove to oven and it is great to use for sauteing and baking.  I also bake bread in a cast iron pot and I like the crunchiness of the crust that is created when it is baked in a cast iron pot.

Mushrooms, onions and garlic being sautéed.

Red pepper added to the pot.

All ingredients have been added and ready to cook in the oven.

Ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves. thinly chopped

1 coloured pepper, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

handful of mushrooms, chopped

1.5 to 2 pounds of boneless, lean pork, cubed

1-2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp peanut butter

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a cast iron pot on medium high.  Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for about five minutes.  Reduce heat to medium low if the onions and garlic are starting to brown.  Add the coloured pepper and cubed pork and continue to sauté for another three to five minutes.  Add the sesame oil and peanut butter and combine well.  Season if you want with salt and pepper.  Cover the pot with a lid and place the pot in the oven and bake for two hours at 325 degrees F.  Serves 4 to 5.