Finally I offer this recipe for an African-inspired stew. It was wonderful, even better the next day as most stews are. I still have a few hot peppers which are basically just drying out in the refrigerator, so I used them in place of the serranos this recipe calls for. The cabbage was the quarter head still in the vegetable crisper. No butternut squash still in your pantry? Just add more rutabagas or sweet potatoes. And maybe you’re one of those brilliant souls who took Suzanne’s suggestion and canned your own tomatoes this summer when they were in such abundance. The perfect accompaniment? MB cornbread or corn muffins.
Adapted from a recipe in “The Cornbread Gospels” by Crescent Dragonwagon (Workman, $14.95).
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large onion, diced 1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 or 3 hot serranos, chopped 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2(half)-inch dice 1 medium rutabaga, cut into 1/2(half)-inch dice 3 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2(half)-inch dice 1/2 (half) medium head cabbage, thickly sliced 3 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice 1/2 (half) cup smooth peanut butter 1 tablespoon honey Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Serves: 8
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook until brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and serranos, sauté 1 minute and lower heat. Add butternut squash, rutabaga, sweet potatoes and cabbage. Cook 5 minutes, then add tomatoes. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Scoop out 1 cup of cooking liquid and stir in peanut butter and honey. Return to pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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