Pigeon Peas and Pork Roast (or Cracklings) Stew

It’s the day after Christmas Eve.

The house looks like a battlefield, it’s a mess everywhere. People in various states of undress pass us by scratching assorted body parts. Lots of yawning. We’re still dizzy from a night of happiness, laughter, lots of food and the occasional argument over something that will be forgotten the next morning.

And there are tons of leftovers. Some will go in the freezer: the tomb of the forgotten food.

Like many a Dominican, I see “best by” dates as mere suggestions. Food goes to hibernate for long periods of time in the cavern that is our freezer.

It’s a race to see what kills me first: my terribly dysfunctional genes, or my disregard for the calendar.

I inherited both from my mother.

I’m positive that I’m not the only one who suffers from this condition. Many a reader has mentioned this in the past. One called it a “Dominican thing”. I can’t judge all of Dominicans, since I don’t know them all, but I have my suspicions that we believe that for as long as it was frozen/cold it’s OK.

I’m lucky I don’t suffer from an “apagones” problem, so I’m even more confident that “that pork from December” is not going to kill anyone.

Now you don’t have to wait weeks or months to dispose of some of your leftovers. Save some of the leftover pork to make this simple, rustic, but strong-flavored stew.

The trick is in the wine, which I used to “lift” the flavors. As always I used Holland House, my choice of cooking wines.

Aunt Clara

Pigeon Peas and Pork Roast Stew Recipe

Two ingredients that are obligatory in our Christmas Eve dinner: pigeon peas and pork, in a flavorful rustic pork roast and pigeon peas stew.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Recipe Author: Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

• 3 cups of dry guandules (pigeon peas), boiled soft
• 2 [0.8kg] lbs of leftover pork roast (see notes), or pork cracklings
• 2 tablespoons of oil for frying
• 1 cup of Holland House Red Cooking Wine
• 2 large onions
• 2 cilantro ancho/culantro leaves , chopped
• 6 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (or more, to taste)

Instructions

• Separate the peas from the water in which they boiled. Reserve both
• Cut the meat into small pieces. Place the pork in a deep-bottom pot, add oil. Heat over low heat.
• When the oil is heated-through add onions and cook and stir until the onions become translucent.
• Pour in the wine and stir for a minute. Stir in the pigeon peas, cilantro ancho and garlic. Cook and stir for five minutes.
• Add 2 qrt [2 lt] of the liquid in which the peas boiled, completing with enough water if necessary.
• Mash the peas lightly with a potato masher. Cover and simmer over medium heat.
• When the stew reaches a rolling boil simmer covered over low heat for another 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from the heat.
• Serve hot with warm rustic bread.

Notes

If you don't have pork roast, you can use chicharrón.

The cooking time does not include soaking the peas overnight.

If you don't find guandules (pigeon peas) you can use mung beans, it's a similar taste.

This recipe and post is sponsored by Holland House cooking wines. I have received products and compensation to create this recipe.

Holland House  offers several premium cooking wines and wine vinegars made with premium ingredients, which are perfect for enhancing the flavor of your dishes with robust flavors and aromas.

The opinions are 100% mine and have not been revised nor altered by the sponsor.