Pork Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Stew

• 1 (1 1/2 pound) pork roast shoulder
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 5 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, cut up

Cornmeal Dumplings

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Dash pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

Stew

1. Cut pork into 1 inch cubes. In a large skillet brown pork and garlic in hot oil. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, in a slow cooker combine carrots, potatoes, water, tapioca, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir in browned meat and undrained tomatoes.
3. Cover; cook on LOW for 9 to 11 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. If stew was cooked on LOW, turn slow cooker to HIGH.
4. Prepare cornmeal dumplings. Remove bay leaves. Stir stew; drop dumplings by tablespoonsful onto stew.
5. Cover; cook for 50 minutes more (DO NOT LIFT COVER). Sprinkle dumplings with cheese.

Cornmeal Dumplings

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, the 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, cornmeal, baking powder and pepper.
2. Combine beaten egg, milk, and oil. Add to flour mixture; stir with a fork just until combined.