PORK GUISANTES

Ingredients:

1 pound pork butt or boneless spare ribs

3-5 cloves garlic

4-8 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt or patis (fish sauce)

1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, crushed or coarsely ground pepper

1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons chopped or sliced pimentos (sweet bell pepper) or 1 jar fancy chopped or sliced sweet pimentos with the juice

1 cup frozen peas or 1 can of peas with the water

Instructions:

Separate the fat from the lean in the pork and slice the pork into stir-fry-size pieces. In a large saute pan, dutch oven or wok over high heat, saute pork fat until melted and drain off excess. (You don't need much more than a couple of teaspoons.) Reduce heat to medium-high and add garlic, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, onion and lean pork. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or so, until pork is cooked. Add water and simmer until it is evaporated. Add tomato paste and pimento; simmer for a minute or so. Finally, add peas, stirring carefully to break up frozen clumps. Simmer briefly until the peas are bright green; Serve hot with rice.


Makes 4 servings.