Directions

• Stews are ideal for the cold season. A hot meal that always gives you a pleasant feeling of comfort, is worth even the smallest effort in its preparation. You will see continuously how easy this recipe is to prepare, the final result being a real delight.
• First, cut the pork into suitable cubes. I added the meat to a bowl, and on top of it I put the starch, salt, pepper, paprika and 1 tablespoon even 2 tablespoons of oil. I mixed everything very well and left it aside for 10 minutes.
• I chose a non-stick pan with high walls. I added 2 tablespoons of oil and let it heat up well. I added the seasoned meat and fried it well on all sides, until it got a pleasant golden yellow color. Keep the fire at a medium to high temperature, but do not stir through the meat very often.
• While the meat was frying, I had enough time to prepare my vegetables as well, since they were quite few. I finely chopped the leek and pepper, then added them to the pan over the meat. I mixed everything well, insisting with the wooden spoon on the bottom of the pan, to detach any stuck pieces of meat. I left the heat on low to medium this time.
• After the vegetables softened a little, I added enough water to cover the meat and let it boil until the meat was completely cooked. If you have bone or vegetable soup, it would be perfect instead of water. I cut the roasted pepper into long strips and added it to the stew after the meat was cooked. Also now I added the tomato sauce and the garlic.
• The stew is almost ready, I kept it boiling until the sauce thickened. In the meantime, I boiled water with salt for the polenta. In Romania, we call it “mamaliga” the closest translation being polenta, due to the corn flour used in this dish. When the water started to boil, I added the corn flour (“malai” – in Romanian) and boiled for 15-20 minutes.
• When the polenta was cooked, I added the cream for cooking, butter, and Parmesan cheese and incorporated everything by gently mixing. I got a creamy and aromatic polenta. It is also the time for a healthy note of freshness, adding coarsely chopped spinach while the polenta is still hot. I transferred it into small bowls, perfect for single servings.
• Both the stew and the polenta are ready. We serve while the polenta is still warm. I placed the single portion of polenta in the center of the plate, and around it I placed the pork stew with roasted peppers.
• Voila! An absolutely delicious dish, prepared in a relatively short time, that will please even the pickiest of eaters. The remaining polenta keeps very well in the refrigerator and you can reheat it before eating it. Enjoy!