Stew Peas  AND Rice Recipe

Jamaican Stew Peas and Rice Recipe

 
Ingredients
2 Salted Pig Tails, cut into 2-inch pieces (they will cut at the West Indian store)
1lb  Stewing Beef, cubed
1 cup  Dry Kidney Beans

1 Tbsp Margarine or Butter
1 small Onion, chopped
2  Tbsp each Red and Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
2-3 slices Scotch Bonnet Pepper
2 stalks Scallion or Green Onion
2-3 sprigs Fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp Dried Thyme)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Pimento seeds (optional)

 
Spinners (long dumplings)
3/4 cup Flour
pinch of Salt
Add enough cold water to make soft dough
 
Method
Night Before:
1. Rinse red beans in cold water and soak in 3 to 4 cups cold overnight
2. Rinse salted pig tails and soak in about 6 cups of cold water overnight
 
Next Day:
1. Drain water from pig tails; place in pot and cover with fresh cold water
2. Bring to a boil; boil for 3 to 5 minutes; drain water
3. Add 6 cups for fresh cold water to pot and bring to a boil; lower heat and cook about 1/2 hour
4. Add red beans (including the water they were soaked in) and stewing beef to pot
5. Cover pot and cook meat and beans on a low boil until very tender, about 1 hour (keep the liquid level the same by adding boiling water to pot as liquid evaporates)
6. In a frying pan, melt margarine (or butter) using medium heat; saute onion, scallion (white part only, chopped), and red and green bell pepper until onion is transparent, about 3 minutes
7. Add all the sauteed ingredients to pot on low boil along with remaining scallion (unchopped), sprigs of thyme, pimento (if using) and black pepper; remove scotch bonnet pepper after a few minute, or to taste
8. Make small spindle-shape dumplings (called spinners) and add to the pot; simmer stirring often until stew thickens and dumplings are cooked
9. Remove large pieces of scallion, sprigs of thyme and pimento (if using)
 
Serve Stew Peas hot over steamed white rice with fried plantain