Pork and Poblano Stew

This is an excellent  stew recipe, rich in flavor and textures. It’s from a Better Home and Garden Magazine. I had torn out the page (don’t panic, it was from my own copy) ages ago to keep the recipe, and try it someday. Lately, I’ve been on a mission to try to cook at least one dish, from my stack of magazine papers, a week.

The Pork and Poblano Stew turns out quite spicy, so cut back on the chili powder if you like. As the magazine suggest, the orange zest really adds to the flavor of the stew so don’t skimp out on it. I did not like that the stew was a very thin consistency, so I added a teaspoon of flour to it at the very end and made it a little thicker.

Pork and Poblano Stew

1¼ lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp olive oil

2 fresh poblano chilies, seeded and cut into strips, about 1 inch in length

1 large red sweet pepper, cut the same size as poblano chilies

1 medium onion, slice thin

1 14oz can fire roasted tomatoes with garlic, un-drained

1 can chicken broth

1 3inch stick cinnamon

¼ cup orange juice

2 tsps lemon zest

Toss the pork with chili powder to coat. In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Cook pork about 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon and remove pieces; set aside.

Add remaining oil to the saucepan. Add the poblano peppers, sweet peppers, and onion; cook over medium heat until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add pork and orange juice and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Then add the orange zest and switch of the heat. Serve hot with a crusty bread.

Notes:

*To thicken the stew, in a bowl mix together one teaspoon of flour with about a tablespoon of water. Mix until there are no lumps, then stir into the stew and cook for a couple of minutes or until the desired consistency.