Many years ago, my parents were visiting and I served the following dish.  My father told me a story about Napoleon’s chef preparing it for him for an impromptu meal using several ingredients together that he happened to have on hand.  When I looked up information about this story, I found out it was Chicken Marengo that was prepared for Napoleon and had some of the same ingredients but not others.  It made for a good story about the dish if lacking in accuracy.

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1"cubes

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

16 ounce can chopped tomatoes, undrained

1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules

1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Dash of pepper

4 ounce can chopped mushrooms, drained

1/3 cup cold water

3 tablespoons flour

Hot cooked rice.

In skillet brown half of the pork cubes, onion, and garlic at a time in hot oil.  Drain off fat.  Transfer meat in to a Crock Pot.  In same skillet combine undrained tomatoes, bouillon granules, marjoram, salt, thyme, and pepper.  Stir together scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet.  Pour over the pork.  Cover and cook at low heat for about 8 hours if using a small Crock Pot.  Cook for about 6 hours if using a large one.  Turn to high heat setting.  Stir in drained mushrooms.  Blend cold water with flour and stir slowly in to pork mixture.  Cook uncovered until thickened stirring occasionally.  Serve over rice.

Next Month:  Beefy Mostaccioli Stew

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