Italian Pork Stew with Summer Herbs Slow Cooker Recipe

This pork stew recipe is perfect for your slow cooker. You could even prepare it before work, and come home to a warming winter meal.

“Don’t be alarmed by the quantity of dried herbs in this recipe – it isn’t a typing error! After the stew simmers in the slow cooker for eight hours, the herbs mellow and the flavour of mint shines through. I find this dish particularly welcome in the middle of winter, when dried herbs really come into their own” says Beverly LeBlanc, author of I Love My Slow Cooker.

Italian Pork Stew with Summer Herbs (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 25 minutes, plus making the stock (optional)
Cooking time: 8 hours on LOW

 
750g/1lb 10oz boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks,/span>
400g/14oz tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400g/14oz tinned plum tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250ml/9fl oz/1 cup passata
125ml/4fl oz/½ cup Vegetable Stock or ready-made stock, plus extra if needed
2–3 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried oregano
pinch of caster sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

finely shredded mint or chopped parsley leaves, to serve
soft polenta to serve
 

1. Put the pork, chickpeas and plum tomatoes in the slow cooker.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot and celery and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further 1–3 minutes until the onion is softened.

3. Add the passata, stock, dried herbs and sugar, then season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Boil, stirring, for 3 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about one-third, then pour the mixture into the cooker. Stir well and add extra stock, if necessary, to just cover the chickpeas.

4. Cover the cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours until the pork is tender. Add a little more salt and pepper, if you like. Sprinkle with mint and serve with soft polenta.

I Love My Slow Cooker gives you more than 100 slow cooker recipes for hearty soups and starters, tender meat, delicious poultry and fish dishes, inspiring vegetarian dishes and divine desserts. Each recipe is devised to take the stress out of cooking for yourself or your family.

“Everything you need to make the most of your slow cooker”

I Love My Slow Cooker: More Than 100 of the Best Ever Recipes by Beverly LeBlanc

176 pages • Illustrated • £12.99

AUS $27.99

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