WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW WITH VEGGIES

By Ana Larramendi

Gluten-Free, Dairy free, Paleo, *Vegan option
Serves 4-6
 
Peanut stews are found across West Africa, with ancient roots in dishes made with native groundnuts before the peanut arrived from the New World in the 16th century. Some are thick (like this one) and served over rice or millet couscous, others thin and soupy, depending on where in Africa you are. I have chosen to add a mix of roasted root vegetables to celebrate the fall harvest as they complement the hearty flavors of the peanut sauce. If you can get your hands on goat meat it is even more classic a dish! Lamb stew meat is a good substitute as well.
I consider this belly-warming comfort food!
 
Ingredients:
Roasted Vegetables - part 1:
4 C. Mixed orange, sweet vegetables: Yams, carrots, Butternut squash, peeled & diced into 1 inch cubes.
2 C. Mixed root vegetables: Turnips, Rutabaga, Kohlrabi, Daikon, peeled & diced into 1 inch cubes.
2 C. Baby red potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes.
2 TB. Olive oil (or coconut oil)
½ teas. Salt
2 TB. Balsamic vinegar
 
For the Chicken:
1⁄3 cup coconut oil
2 lb. bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (about 8)
Sea salt, to taste
1⁄4 cup fresh ginger, minced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 teas. Ground coriander
1 teas. Turmeric
1⁄2 teas. Ground cumin
1⁄2 teas. Ground black pepper
1⁄4 teas. Ground cinnamon
1⁄3 teas. Fenugreek seeds
¼ teas. Cloves
1 teas. Red pepper flakes* (optional for heat)
1-14oz can diced tomatoes
1 C. Natural, smooth peanut butter
6 C. Chicken broth
1 C. roasted peanuts-slightly chopped
4 C. fresh chopped Kale leaves
Chopped cilantro for garnish
 
Instructions:
Roasted Vegetables - part 1:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl toss together the orange vegetables, root vegetables and potatoes with the oil, salt, balsamic vinegar and 2 TB. Of water. Make sure everything is well coated, then spread the vegetables on to a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven about 25-30 minutes, stirring half way through, or until the vegetables are a little golden around the edges.
 
For the Chicken:
Meanwhile, in an 8 Qt. Dutch oven pot, heat 3 TB of the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and add to pot; cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.
Add remaining coconut oil to pot. Add ginger, garlic, onion, and jalapeños and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes; add spices, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Now add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and whisk to break up the peanut butter and smooth out the sauce. Add the reserved chicken thighs and any of their juice and the chopped peanuts. Turn heat down and simmer the chicken thighs in the peanut sauce.
 
When the roasted vegetables are done, remove them from the oven and scrape all the contents of the pan into the stew pot with the chicken. Stir all the ingredients together, then add the chopped kale leaves. Taste for salt. Simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.  If the stew thickens too much, add water to bring to the right consistency.
To serve, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with freshly steamed brown or jasmine rice, or just eat as a stew.
 
*Vegan option
For the vegan option, substitute vegetable broth (or a combination of vegetable broth and coconut milk) for the chicken broth, and 1 -14oz can of garbanzo beans (drained) for the chicken. Plus, add 2 C. coarsely chopped cauliflower. Add these at the same time you add the roasted vegetables. Simmer till the cauliflower is tender. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Notes:
If you prefer not to deal with bones, you can use diced chicken meat. This stew keeps refrigerated for 1 week or freezes for up to 2 months. You can also make the peanut sauce part of the stew, freeze it, then simmer the peanut sauce and add whatever veggies or meats you like.