African Pineapple Peanut Stew

Serves : 4

Comments: This recipe is slightly adapted from on in the "Moosewook Restaurant Cooks at Home" cookbook. When a friend mentioned how much he liked this recipe, I was a little skeptical, but he was right; this is quite tasty.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 large bunch (about 4+ cups sliced) kale or Swiss chard
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (with juice)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
  • fresh lime juice or rice vinegar
  • chopped roasted, salted peanuts
  • cooked rice

Instructions:

Wash the kale or chard thoroughly until all grit and dirt are gone. Remove and discard and large stems and blemished leaves. Stack the leaves on a cutting surface and slice crosswise into 1-inch-wide slices.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil about 5 to 10 minutes until the onions are lightly browned. Add the pineapple and its juice to the onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in the kale or chard, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are just tender. Mix in the peanut butter and Tabasco, and simmer for another minute or two until the peanut butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is hot. Taste. Depending upon whether you used sweetened peanut butter and how un-vinegary your hot sauce is, the mixture may taste a little too sweet with no zing. If so, add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice or some rice vinegar. Serve the stew hot over cooked rice and garnished with some chopped roasted, salted peanuts.