Stew Peas, or Pork and Pigeon Pea Stew, is one of the culinary mainstays of Jamaica. It is a hearty stew made with gungo peas and cuts of pork or beef, slow braised in coconut milk. As with most regional dishes there are many variations in how they're made but there are some common threads in most of them. Coconut milk, hot peppers, plantains, and green peppers are common ingredients though dumplings and calla loo are frequently there as well.
For this dish I decided to include plantains, and instead of using salted pork I decided to do a short cure on some bone in pork cutlets. I had also made a spice blend, Citrus Heat, from some peppers I grew (which I'm including in the recipe, but which you can also make without). Because I used that spice blend I didn't include any peppers, but without it you'll want to add a scotch bonnet or habanero peppers.
For the plantains I made dumplings, much like my gnocchi recipe, but I substituted roasted pureed plantains and I added diced plantains into them. I used the braising liquid for the base of the stew, which in turn I used as the poaching liquid for the dumplings. The end result was a mildly sweetened plantain dumpling with a rich flavor of coconut and pork to finish.
The last note I have for this soup is that when I made it I broke it into a multi day process. You can easily cook it in one day and just begin with the pork, then move to the vegetables and pigeon peas. For the time I had it was easier to braise the pork one day and make the soup the next. If you have the time it's just as easy to make it in one day, I just split it up for my own time management.
Ingredients
Pork Marinade
Adobe Spice 2 T
Salt 1 T
Black Pepper 1 T
Garlic Cloves, smashed 3 ea
Onion powder 1 T
Pork, bone in cutlets* 2-3 lbs
Pork Braise
Coconut Oil 1 T
Chicken Stock 1 qt
Coconut Milk 12 oz
Marinated Pork 2-3 lbs
Garlic powder 1 T
Ginger, minced 2 oz
Citrus Heat 2 T
(or scotch bonnet finely diced) 1 ea
Soup
Onion, julienned 2 ea
Garlic cloves, sliced 4 ea
Tomatoes, diced 3 ea
Tomato Paste 2 T
Chicken Stock 3 qt
Braising Liquid 1 qt
Water 1 qt
Green pepper, diced 2 ea
Pigeon Peas, canned, drained 24 oz
Grace (or other hot sauce) hefty splash
Coconut Milk 12 oz
Ginger, grated 1 T
Mustard, Dijon 2 T
Plantain Dumplings 1 recipe
*you can substitute almost any type of pork for this recipe, but you want to keep it a leaner cut so that you don't have a lot of rendered fat to skim off the soup. Also, by using a cut with a bone in it, you are enhancing the flavor of the braising liquid with the bone.
Garnish
chopped parsley
Method of Procedure
Cut your pork into smaller pieces and marinate your pork in the adobe, garlic & onion powder, as well as the salt and pepper in the first section of the recipe for 24 hours.
The next day turn your stew pot on and add the coconut oil. Once hot add your pork cutlets and sear until browned.
Add your garlic powder, ginger, citrus heat and stir to coat evently. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add your coconut milk and chicken stock (from the pork braise) and simmer for about 4 hours until done.
Remove the pork and broth from heat and strain, reserving both. Discard the bones if used.
Using your broth from the pork, poach off your plantain dumplings then strain and reserve both dumplings and broth.
Clean your soup pan (or use another) and saute your onions, ginger, and garlic until softened, around 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add your green peppers and tomato paste continuing to cook for another 5 minutes
Add your mustard then splash with your grace (or other hot sauce) and add your tomatoes, pigeon peas, and pork back into the mixture.
Cook while stirring to coat everything then put in your stock, water, coconut milk, and braising liquid.
Bring to a simmer for 2 hours, skimming the fat off as necessary.
Season to taste.
To serve add your dumplings and bring to a simmer to heat through. Ladle and garnish with chopped parsley.
Comentários