Butternut squash stew

Hard to believe, but I have been cooking. Last night I made a chicken chili with poblano and sweet red peppers, hominy, and other things. It was very good. I didn’t write it down. Tonight I made a vegetable stew for the second time and it is positively yummy. If it weren’t for the Parmesan cheese, it would be vegan, but I think the Parmesan is what makes it particularly fabulous. Bonus—it’s really quite easy to make.

 

Source: In a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop

 

Butternut Squash with White Beans Stew with Rosemary and Tomatoes

 

Makes 4 main dish servings

 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

3 medium garlic cloves, minced (divided)

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or use beans cooked from scratch)

1 small butternut squash (about 1 ½ pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice (about 3 1/2 cups)

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 Parmesan cheese rind (I used about ½ cup large chunks of Parmesan)

3 cups water

1 tablespoon freshly minced rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until soft and golden, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, squash, tomatoes, Parmesan rind, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until the stew thickens, about 15 minutes.

 

While the stew is simmering, combine the minced rosemary, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.

 

Once the stew has reduced down, stir in the rosemary mixture and cook an additional 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, to taste.