Easy Provençal Pork Stew (French Pork Stew with Tomatoes, Peppers & Herbs)

2lbs pork shoulder or butt
½ tsp salt (plus more for salting the meat)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1lb tomatoes, cubed
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 bell peppers (2 red, 1 yellow, 1 green), cored and sliced into strips
4 ¼ cups water
100ml dry white wine
½ cup green olives, pitted

⦁ About 30 minutes beforehand, take the pork out of the fridge. Slice into “stew sized” chunks (about 3-4cm/ 1.2-1.5-in), salt the pork and set aside, to allow to warm closer to room temperature.
⦁ In a large skillet or large Dutch oven, heat up to olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add the pork cubes and sear them, about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcrowd or overlap any meat cubes or they won’t sear properly. It should take about 2 batches to sear all the pork. Transfer the pork cubes to a separate bowl or plate. Do not wash the bottom of the pan.
⦁ Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add the cubed tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, salt, black pepper, paprika and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes soften.
⦁ Add the bell peppers, stir and cook for 3 minutes – just enough to soften the pepper slightly.
⦁ Add the pork cubes back into the skillet, stir and add the wine and stock.
⦁ Bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes. Take the lid off, stir in the green olives and continue to simmer (lid off) for 20-30 minutes longer, until the sauce starts to thicken slightly and the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork. Taste the sauce and add more salt (if necessary) to your liking.
⦁ Serve in a shallow bowl over rice, polenta – or just on its own.