My first recipe: Spicy Pork Stew with Cheesy Corn Grits

I'm not an expert cook but I can follow a recipe.

Yesterday morning I woke with a taste for spicy pork stew. I've never made spicy pork stew....I've never even had spicy pork stew. But that's what I wanted! So I spent a good hour in the morning (and a little bit of time at the end of the day at work) looking for a recipe.The Food Network, Food and Wine, Williams-Sonoma, and Martha Stewart all had some good recipes but nothing stood out. That, and my local market didn't have any tomatillos. So....I did what any self-respecting lady would do. I made it up.

Here are your ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs of boneless pork. ( I used boneless pork ribs because they were on sale and because they are delicious)
1 cup of corn grits (I like the Bob's Red Mill brand. You can find it in the natural foods aisle of the market)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
2 tbs of half and half
4 medium sized red potatoes diced
1 can of chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom (i just tossed in a cardamom pod because again, that's all I had)
16 oz of canned tomatoes Muir Glen is my preferred brand.
4 garlic cloves minced
1 small red onion minced
1 -2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
vegetable oil
flour to coat the pork
1 cup of stock

Step 1: Cut your pork into medium sized cubes and pour the cider vinegar over the pork to cover. Let it marinate for about 15 minutes.

Step 2. While the pork is marinating cut up your potatoes, onion, and garlic

Step 3: Heat some oil in a pan, then cover your pork with a light dusting of flour. Shake off the excess flour and brown the meat in the pan. Remove the pork and set aside

Step 4: (if you want, you can de-glaze your pan with a little bit of red wine) I added a little more oil to the pan and then added in my garlic and onion. Let it cook until fragrant and then add in your spices. Mix well before adding in your tomatoes.

Step 5:Add your pork back into the pan. Mix well. Add in your cup of stock, the chipotle chillies and  your potatoes.*I used veggie stock but I would have preferred to use chicken stock but I forgot to buy it.

Step 6. Cover and let it simmer over a medium hear for about an hour and a half.

I tossed in a little bit of salt and extra cumin but you should add seasonings that you  prefer.

I was going to serve this with jasmine rice but....my roommate took that with him when he moved out (it's okay, it was his). Then I was going to use regular old white rice but.....I think it had been in the cabinet for a long, long time. So I used corn grits instead. Cheesy corn grits to be exact.

Cheesy Corn Grits

Cook according to package instructions when they're done add in 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of half and half.

YUM.


Sorry that there aren't any pictures. It was delicious.