Stews and Soups: Peanut Butter Chicken Stew

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, cut in half, seeds and ribs removed (leave them in if you're feeling adventurous)
1 green pepper
2 bay leaves
1 thumb of ginger
4 cups water
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces (reserve bones for poaching)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 4 pieces
2 smoked turkey necks
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 tablespoon coconut  oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups roughly chopped canned and peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoon salt (divided)
1 pound spinach, tough stems removed, washed, drained, and chopped

Directions

Combine the onions, carrots, chilies, green pepper, ginger, and bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, smoked turkey neck, thigh bones (if reserved), and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken thighs, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is simmering, toast the peanuts in a small dry sauté pan over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Let cool, then grind 1 cup of the toasted peanuts in a blender. Slowly add coconut oil until peanuts are blended into a smooth paste.  Set aside.

Remove the chicken, turkey neck, bones, and bay leaves from the broth. Set aside the chicken and turkey neck. Discard the bones and bay leaves.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the broth.  Strain the broth, separating the broth from any excess fat from the chicken. Set aside the broth and discard the fat.  Transfer the vegetables to a food processor, and puree the vegetables until smooth. Add a little bit of the broth as necessary to make the paste as smooth as possible.

Place the broth back into the pot with the vegetable puree and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, and add the peanut puree, whisking until well combined. Add the, tomatoes, chicken, and turkey neck, and simmer until heated through.

Remove from the heat. Add the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir until the spinach is wilted.

NOW LET'S GET COOKING!

Stews and Soups: Beefy Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 large onions, diced
2 lbs stewing beef, cubed
 and marinated (recipe found here)
2 bay leaves

1 bottle stout beer (12 oz)

1 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
4 potatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup froze corn, thawed
1 cup mixed frozen veggies, thawed
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup water

Directions

1. In a heavy frying pan or skillet, heat oil, add sugar and allow to burn until light to medium brown.

2. Add more oil if necessary and cook onion, garlic, cloves, and allspice.  Cook until onions are translucent and sugar is dark brown. So not allow to burn. If it burns, then start over. Don't worry, you're not on chopped or top chef, so you're not being timed!

3. Add marinaded beef (reserve the marinade) and stir well to coat pieces of meat

4. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly

5. Stir in beer, beef stock, beef marinade, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until meat is tender (60-90 minutes)

6.  Add potatoes and simmer for 45 minutes or until fork tender.  Don't panic if the stew looks a little low in moisture. Just evenly coat the potatoes, cover the pot, and the potatoes will cook through.

7.  Add thawed vegetables during the last 15 minutes of simmering.

8.  Dissolve 2 tablespoons of corn starch in 1 cup water, and mix into stew to thicken the broth.   After mixing let sit for a few minutes to thicken, if not to desired thickness add more cornstarch and repeat.