Mafe

This is a recipe for Mafe, a West African dish.   Here it is eaten on a big platter with everyone around it. It is a tasty dish, (although I prefer a different version called Banafe). This recipe may make a lot, so be prepared to have lots of leftovers!

INGREDIENTS

• ¹⁄₂
  cup peanut butter
• 2 cups stock (your choice, preferably unsalted)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 cayenne pepper, seeded and chopped (or other or more)
• 1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 lbs beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1 and 1/2-inch cubes
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups tomatoes, peeled and diced (or one 14 and 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid)
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS

• Whisk together peanut butter and stock and reserve.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Brown the meat well on all sides; do not crowd the meat; saute in batches if necessary.
• Remove meat and keep warm.
• Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and carrots to the pan and saute until the onions are translucent.
• Add the peanut butter and broth mixture, scraping all the brown bits up from the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Return the reserved meat (and any juices) to the pan with the tomatoes and their liquid, the thyme and bay leaf.
• Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
• Taste for seasoning.
• Remove the thyme sprig and the bay leaf and discard.
• Serve hot over rice.
• Enjoy