Recipe: West African Ground Nut Stew

Shannon Beigert

We like to visit the beautiful coastal region north of Bellingham. One favorite spot on the way is the amazing Skagit Valley Food Co-op in Mount Vernon.

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op has a large deli of cooked-fresh food, both hot and cold. There is a dish that they make called West African Ground Nut Stew. It is a vegetarian food with a distinctive and addictive flavor. At the urging of my family, I have reconstructed a version of this stew while adding my own touches.

Ingredients

2 16-ounce cans of stewed tomatoes, including juice
1 cup of fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 sweet onion chopped
4 large or 6 medium sweet potatoes (the orange type), peeled and cut into chunks
1 small zucchini, washed and chopped
1 can of garbanzo beans drained
2 cups of apple juice
1/4 cup of ground peanuts for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

Place the stewed tomatoes, cilantro, garlic cloves, peanut butter and spices into a food processor, using your S-blade attachment. Process until all ingredients are combined and smooth.

In a slow cooker, on the low heat setting, add the two cups of apple juice. Then add the chopped onion, zucchini, garbanzo beans and chunked yams. Pour the sauce from the food processor on top of the vegetables and stir until all items are combined.

Cook in the slow cooker on the low setting for four to six hours, until the yams are tender and fully cooked.

Garnish each bowl with chopped peanuts or a sprig of cilantro before serving, if desired.

Enjoy!

Shannon Beigert is a chef and baker who loves to entertain guests at her Olympia home. If you want to let her know that this recipe worked well for you, send her a note at  shannon@theJOLTnews.com