Watching Venice cook and listening to her instructions was a lot like cooking with my mom. There are no recipes. You use what you like and what’s fresh. A handful of this and a dash of that make up the stew until it ‘looks and feels right.’ Feel free to substitute winter squash for sweet potatoes or add white potatoes. Have extra green beans? Those would be good too. Don’t have black-eyed peas? Use kidney beans instead. You can even change up the seasoning to a Moroccan spice blend if you like or add more hot pepper if that’s your preference. Just be sure to add the greens at the end because Venice doesn’t like those greens overcooked. This savory, nutty stew is best served over rice with cornbread or biscuits on the side.
5 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning plus more for spice
6 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, rubbed with jerk seasoning and refrigerated at least 4 hours before cooking
oil for cooking
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large white, sweet onion, halved and sliced into chunks
1 large red onion, halved and sliced into chunks
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into chunks
1 sweet banana pepper
1 small jalapeno pepper, minced – optional
2 sweet red or green peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1½ cups corn or the kernels from 2 ears of corn
3 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, liquid included
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup chicken stock, or to taste
3 generous, large handfuls of chopped, fresh kale or collards