Peanuts and the Atlantic Slave Trade

Peanut Stew, recipe below 

In my book Hog and Hominy I show that before the 19th century, the Portuguese introduced South American plants to the coast of West and Central Africa including peanuts.  Overtime African farmers incorporated the plant into their fields and cookery particularly as one pot meals. Enslaved Africans then introduced peanuts to North Americans during the African slave trade. In colonial America, particular the south, most considered them poor folks food or slave vittles. 

Chicken and Peanut Stew
Ingredients
1/2 cup cornmeal
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 3 1/2 -pound chicken (or vegan chicken substitute) cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup canola oil
2 small onions, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño--stemmed, seeded and minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup raw peanuts (2 1/2 ounces)
8 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 -inch chunks
1 1/2 pounds long thin eggplants, sliced crosswise 1 1/2 inches thick 
2 small yellow squash, sliced crosswise 1 1/2 inches thick
1 bunch scallions cut into 2-inch lengths

Method
Bread the chicken with cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Fry chicken in a large skillet or casserole until golden brown and transfer it a large platter. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and add the onions and jalapeño and cook over low heat until just softened. Add the water, vinegar, peanuts and garlic, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken, cover, and simmer over low heat until tender and cooked through, around 45 minutes. Put the chicken on a platter. Add sweet potatoes, eggplant, and yellow squash to the casserole. Cover and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender, perhaps for an hour. Put the chicken back in the casserole, mi in the scallions and simmer until the scallions are tender and the chicken is hot, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and it’s ready to serve.

More Nutty Stories with Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Peanuts

The Atlantic Slave Trade and Food: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=Atlantic+Slave+Trade

Stewed Stories and Recipes: http://www.foodasalens.com/search?q=stew

Author Jon Krampner on the History of Peanuts: http://www.creamyandcrunchy.com/