This hearty stew is perfect for cold winter days. I came up with this recipe when my husband said there’s nothing to eat in the house. I went to the fridge, and carrots, kale, pork, and tomatoes were the things we had available. I just threw everything together in the pot and to our surprise, it tasted pretty good! I hope you enjoy it as much as we (including my 18-month old) do!
Serves: 4 Calories: ~380 calories, 23 gm protein per serving
Ingredients: 1 bunch of kale 1 pound pork shoulder (remove excess outer fat layer and cut into 1-2 inch cubes) 2 carrots (cut into big cubes) 2 medium tomatoes (cut into big cubes) 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock 1/4 cup of water 3 garlic cloves (peeled and left whole) 1 tablespoon cooking oil (canola or safflower)
Pork Marinade: 1/2 teaspoon regular sesame oil 2 teaspoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/8 teaspoon white or black pepper
Instructions:
Combine the pork marinade ingredients and pour over the pork shoulder cubes. Mix well and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Tear the leaves off the kale stems and wash thoroughly.
Heat a 12-inch skillet or a larger sauce pan and add the cooking oil. When the oil starts to glisten, add the garlic cloves and saute for 10 seconds. Then slowly add in the marinated pork (discard marinade liquid). Keep the whole garlic cloves in while searing the pork.
Sear the pork, about 15-20 seconds per side under medium heat. Add the carrots and tomatoes and continue stirring for another 20-30 seconds. If the garlic starting to burn in this step, remove and set aside.
Pour in the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Add in the garlic that was removed earlier. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add in two-thirds of the kale. Cover and let simmer for 25 minutes.
Add the remaining kale and simmer for another 10 minutes. (This gives the dish a brighter green color, but you can skip this step if you prefer. Just add all the kale in Step 5 and simmer for 35 minutes.)