- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 stick of celery
- A pack of pork stir-fry strips
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- A tin of chickpeas
- 2 large handfuls of baby red chard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 800ml hot water
- Pan with a lid
- Sieve
- Measuring jug
- 1.
Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook and stir over a medium heat for 5 mins till the veg start to look like they’re softening.
- 2.
Add a pinch of cayenne to the pan. It’s spicy, so use as much or as little as you like. Add 1 bay leaf. Pop the pork back in, along with any juices on the plate. Stir together.
- 3.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the pan. Pour in 800 ml boiling water from the kettle. Cover. Bring to the boil.
- 4.
Turn the heat down. Simmer for 25-30 mins till the pork is tender when pressed with a fork. Fish the bay leaf out of the pan and compost it.
- 5.
Stir the chard into the stew. Stir for 1 min to just wilt it. Taste the stew and season to taste. Ladle the stew into warm bowls and serve.
- 6.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and roughly chop the carrot. Trim and roughly chop the celery.
- 7.
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add the pork stir-fry strips. Stir and fry for 4-5 mins till the pork is browned all over. Lift out of the pan and onto a plate. Put to one side.
- Tip
Leaf it out
Bay leaves come from the bay laurel tree. They add a fragrant oomph to all sorts of dishes. Keep hold of yours and use them to flavour anything from Bolognese sauce to gravy for your roast dinner.