Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Eat for a week 30: Pork & Beans Stew



I've recently discovered smoked paprika. Sure, we all have a can of grocery store paprika for sprinkling on deviled eggs and whatnot, but it doesn't have much scent or flavor, does it? That stuff is purely decorative. The smoked paprika has a wonderful aroma that I've never had the chance to play with. This is my first experiment with the smoked stuff. I think it turned out rather well. My grocery bill was just over $15.

TOOLS:
Large stock pot

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps cumin
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/4 lbs. boneless pork chops, cut into 1" cubes
1/3 lb crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 1/3 lbs russet potatoes, chopped
2/3 lb carrots, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can northern beans
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
2 bay leaves
2 tsps dry marjoram
1 Tbsps worcestershire sauce
water
salt and pepper to taste
5 oz. greek yogurt

How to:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large pot. When warm, add cumin, paprika, mustard, and nutmeg, and stir until fragrant - 30 seconds to a minute.
Add onion and garlic, sauté until translucent - about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and sauté until they begin to exude their own juices - about 5 minutes.
Add pork and brown on all sides.
Add potatoes, carrots and beans, stir well.
Add water to cover.
Add bay leaves, marjoram, and worcestershire sauce, and salt & pepper to taste.
Bring heat to medium-high and allow stew to come to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Shut off heat, mix in yogurt, and allow to cool 15-20 minutes.

Music for this episode is "Watching Snails" by The Hybiscus Journals, available at http://thehybiscusjournals.bandcamp.com/album/playtime