Not creole for a change: Sage and Rosemary Pork Stew

10 May 14

When one starts yearning for familiar tastes, one can go to the omnipresent KFC / ... / ... or hit the cheeseburger in paradise. But island markets yield all the necessary ingredients for comfort food. Here is one example.

Sage and Rosemary Pork Stew

Adapted from recipe by PorkBeInspired.com with thanks

Times:

15 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook

Ingredients:

2 pound boneless pork shoulder roast , cut into 3/4-inch cubes – if you have the bone, include it in the simmering phases, then remove before adding the roux
2 T oil
3-4 c veggie broth or water
1/2 c green onions, sliced (or any onion)
2 tsp fresh rosemary
1 T fresh sage (or more)
1 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp pepper or more

2+ c potatoes, cubed (if you can get new potatoes leave them unpeeled)
1/2 pound fresh string beans, cut
Roux:

6 T flour, 4 T butter, I c milk

Cooking Directions:

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Salt and pepper pork cubes and brown over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and sauté in for a few minutes.  Add broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in potatoes and beans (add beans a bit later if you like them al dente); simmer 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, prepare roux. Gradually stir roux into stew once vegetables are tender. Cook and stir until thickened. Serve with rice, or in a bowl all by itself.

Serves 6

"Baingan Gumbo"

We had eggplants; we had okra.  So we decided to convert an eggplant curry recipe to a combo.  The two were good together.  Make sure you simmer until veggies are very tender.

Ingredients

3 small eggplants, unpeeled, cubed
ca 20 okra pods, cut crosswise 1 1/2 inch segments
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 tomatoes chopped or 300g fresh tomato coulis
1 1/2 inch ginger, minced
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 Tbsp geera or ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp amchar masala or garam masala or anything else you like

Steps

Saute the onions, ginger and pepper flakes until fragrant; add the garlic and spices.
Fry for 3 minutes
Add the eggplant and okra and cook 5 minutes - add a bit of water if needed as you go.
Add the tomatoes and simmer until all vegetables are tender and sauce thickens some. Add salt to taste.

Jamaican Goat Curry

Back in the Caribbean, it is time again for this great and healthy meat, so hard to get in the US, yes GOAT. Here in the form of a Jamaican goat curry, modified with thanks from the recipe by Hank Shaw to reduce cooking time and propane burn.







Ingredients

• 2 lb cubed goat  (goat stew)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 Tbsp allspice (see step 1)
• Salt
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 chopped habanero pepper, or 2 Tbsp Matouk hot sauce
• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 small can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 2-3 cups water
• 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Preparation

• Bring the meat to room temperature and pat it dry; salt it
• Mix the Allspice and Curry powder (spice)
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium high; add 2 Tbsp of spice and heat for 1 minute
• Brown the meat cubes and any bones on all sides, in small batches
• Remove the meat to a bowl and sauté the onions until light brown. Add the ginger, garlic and pepper or hot sauce and heat for 1 minute
• Return the meat, bone and juices to the cooker; pour in the water, coconut milk, tomatoes, thyme and the rest of the spice; stir well
• Pressure cook for 45 minutes 
•  De pressurize cooker, add potatoes and fast simmer for 20 minutes.

• Let cool, skim grease and remove bones

The curry can now be eaten, or better, let to rest and reheated the next day. Served with rice or quinoa pilaw or beans and rice.