Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew #FallforGreek

Food is all about emotion to me; I want my food to make people happy and I want it to get them talking. When I make something and people talk about it, smile and laugh over it while they enjoy it I’ve done my job right!

I want food to make me happy, I want it to take me to a new place that I’ve never been and sometimes I want it to send me down memory lane.

I mean I know that you’re “suppose” to eat to survive but I survive to eat. Oh and I don’t want to just eat to be eating…not it’s not like that. I don’t want to eat just because there is food in sight… no no….I want food that taste amazing, I want food that’s good for me and I want food that isn’t.

Let me jump back to the “memories” part of that little speech up there. You know what I’m taking about right?

You know, food that sparks those memories from your childhood. Perhaps that breakfast you made was what your grandpa use to make for you on the weekends that you convinced your parents to leave you at Nana and Papa’s, or maybe the casserole you’re planning on making for Thanksgiving is something that your Ma use to make every holiday because you and your brother loved it and now that she’s unable to make it for you anymore you’ve taken the torch and make sure it’s on every holiday table, or it might even be that dessert that reminds you of the church lunches that you use to attend with your ex-boyfriend that you’re desperately trying to “re-make” good memories with… the dessert that is… not the ex. haha 🙂

This Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew was one of those recipes that brought back childhood memories. As I stood there taste testing the stew and making adjustment I had memories of my dad cooking cabbage soup flashing through my mind. 🙂

When I was little, Dad and mom went to this weight loss group at church and after a few meetings Dad came home with a Cabbage soup recipe that he was determined to try. This is what I now refer to as the “Magic Cabbage Soup Diet” because it was suppose to magically make you drop weight. When we were growing up he would claim that it worked and that it was soooooo good but you literally couldn’t have anything but that cabbage soup while you’re on the “Cabbage Soup Diet”. haha I would imagine that would make you loose weight 🙂

I made a huge stockpot of this Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew just for dad because as soon as I tasted this I knew that he was going to love it.

Ok yeah, I know….I just drove you down memory lane and you were probably wondering when we were going to jump back into this era and get back to the recipe, right? Yeah.. sorry about that but I just couldn’t help but to talk about it 🙂 You understand right?

I’ve had Debbie Matenopoulos’ cookbook for a while now and this is another one of the recipes that I’ve made from “It’s All Greek to Me”.

I know I’ve told you this before but I love Greek food and I love giving it a go at home! I’m slowly cooking my way through Debbie’s cookbook!  I still haven’t conquered my fear of making stuffed grape leaves but I’m getting there.

If you love cooking Greek food at home or you want to start, you’re going to love my giveaway that I have for you today! – you’ll find the giveaway right below the recipe. 🙂

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Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew
11/12/14

Makes 6-8 servings                                                          (Click to Print)

Ingredients

2.5 pounds boneless lean pork shoulder, cut into
1-inch cubes
11/2 teaspoons sea salt*
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 medium onion, chopped*
11/2 cups Mama’s Domata Saltsa (page 74 of the It’s All Greek to Me Cookbook) or 1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 carrots, chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped*
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 cup water
1 whole head cabbage, cored and cut into strips
1 small fresh chili pepper, diced (optional)*

Directions 

Rinse the pork, and pat dry with paper towels.

Season the pork all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat.

Add the pork cubes and brown them on all sides, turning them every minute or two for about 6 to 7 minutes total.

Add the white wine and scrape up any brown bits.

Add the onion and cook until it starts to caramelize, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stewed tomatoes (with their liquid if using canned), tomato paste, carrots (if using), garlic, oregano, and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.

Add the cabbage and chili pepper (if using). Cover and simmer over low heat until the cabbage and meat are extremely tender, about 45 minutes.

 

Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve immediately.

My changes*

• I made a few changes to the recipe just to fit our needs and tastebuds
• I used Greek Seasoning instead of salt
• I did not use onion because BigBear is allergic
• I tripled the amount of garlic

Recipe re-printed with permission

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