Entree: French Guiana – National Cuisine – Ragoût de Cochon Bois (A Creole-style French Guianan stew of wild pork simmered with tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and local herbs)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 50 min

Total 2 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) cochon bois or pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1–1.5 inch (2.5–3.8 cm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, about 8 oz (225 g), diced
- 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced
- 2 stalks (40 g) scallions, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about 6 oz (170 g), seeded and diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, about 10 oz (280 g), diced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, whole (leave intact for mild heat or pierce for hotter) — optional
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (about 2 g) or 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp (15 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1 cup (240 ml) water (additional for simmering if needed)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (green seasoning)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the pork cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in batches until deeply caramelized on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and scallions to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the diced bell pepper, tomatoes, and tomato paste; cook 3–4 minutes until the tomato begins to break down.
5. Return the browned pork to the pot. Add the thyme, bay leaf, brown sugar, scotch bonnet (whole or pierced as desired), chicken stock, and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
6. Cover partially and simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is very tender and sauce has concentrated. Add more water if the stew becomes too thick.
7. Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme stems. Stir in lime juice and chopped parsley or cilantro. Adjust salt and pepper to taste; remove or mash the scotch bonnet if you want milder heat.
8. Serve the ragoût hot over cooked white rice, with extra chopped herbs and lime wedges on the side.