Pork and Vegetable Stew with Parsley Polenta

Tender cubes of boneless pork, zucchini, mushrooms and red bell pepper are flavored with garlic, onion and tomatoes to make a quick-cooking hearty stew. We serve this dish over Parsley Polenta (recipe included), but mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice make great options too.

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Ingredients:
1 lb boneless pork loin chops
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 can (15-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish
Parsley Polenta (see recipe below)

Preparation:
Trim any excess fat from the pork chops and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place in a plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and shake to coat. Remove the pork with tongs and discard the excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork cubes and cook until light golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until pale golden in color (do not brown).

Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until any liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, 5 minutes longer. Add the red bell pepper and season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir in the wine, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes. Return the pork to the pan and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened and the pork is barely pink in the center.

To serve, plate a portion of Parsley Polenta (recipe follows), top with stew, drizzle with sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Parsley Polenta
1 to 1-1/2 cups milk
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup plain yellow corn meal
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:
Combine 1 cup of the milk, chicken broth, butter, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Add the corn meal, whisking constantly until well blended. Reduce the heat to low and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick and creamy. Add more milk as needed to maintain a smooth, creamy consistency. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

This is an original recipe created & tested by the editors of MyGourmetConnection