Spiced Mexican Squash Stew Recipes

MEXICAN SQUASH WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Chop the tomatoes and garlic, then place them in your blender with the ¼ cup of water. Puree until you have a smooth salsa. Set aside.
• In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil and butter at medium-high heat. Once it is hot, add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• While the onion is cooking, dice the squash. Make sure that all the pieces are the same size in order to have an even cooking. Set aside.
• Once the onion in the skillet is transparent, pour in the tomato sauce, add the cilantro sprigs, and cook for 3 more minutes. After this, stir in the diced squash and season with salt. Cook for 10-12 more minutes until the squash is tender and the tomato sauce is cooked.
• Just before serving, stir in the diced queso Panela.
• Enjoy as a side dish or as a meal making tacos using hot corn tortillas. Enjoy!

SPICED MEXICAN SQUASH STEW

Steps:

• Place onions, garlic and salt in nonreactive soup pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 mins, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
• Meanwhile, halve and peel the squash, scoop out and discard the seeds, and dice into 1/2 inch cubes. If you have 5 cups or more of cubed squash, increase water by 1/2 to 3/4 cup. Add the squash, jalapeno, cinnamon, cumin, and water to the soup pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender. Stir in the corn and return to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve each bowl topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of grated cheese.

SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and spices and cook until the cinnamon stick unfurls and the tomatoes are cooked down, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, chickpeas, broth, lemon zest, and raisins and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the squash is fork tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season, to taste.
• Meanwhile, make the couscous. Bring the broth to a boil with the salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, pull the saucepan off the heat, cover, and set aside until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is plump, about 5 minutes.
• Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound it in 4 soup bowls. Spoon some butternut squash stew over each portion, top with almonds, and serve.

SPICED BEEF AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

Steps:

• In a slow cooker, whisk together the tomato sauce, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 C water, salt, and pepper. Stir in onion.
• Sprinkle beef with flour and add to the cooker. Toss to coat.
• Scatter the butternut squash over the top and cook, covered, until the beef is tender, 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
• Ten minutes before serving, prepare couscous according to package directions. Fold the chickpeas into the stew and cook, covered until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Serve the stew over the couscous and sprinkle with cilantro.

SPICY BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large covered pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with high sides and a tight-fitting lid (or a Dutch oven), heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the squash and season with salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every minute, until squash becomes browned in spots and feels just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until not quite al dente, 3 to 4 minutes less than the package instructions. (It should be a little too firm to the bite.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. If the pasta is done before the squash, then stir in a drizzle of olive oil so that it doesn't stick together.
• When the squash is just tender, add the broth. Bring to an active simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft and easily mashable, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, then use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to crush about half of the butternut squash and leave the rest chunky. Season the squash to taste, keeping in mind that salty Parmesan will be added soon.
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup reserved pasta water and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to combine. Stir in the spinach one handful at a time until it shrinks down a little.
• Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella and jalapeño, then place in the oven, on a sheet pan if you are worried about dripping. Cook until the top is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, top with parsley and serve.

SPICED CHICKPEA STEW WITH COCONUT AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they've started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
• Add greens and stir, making sure they're submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you're using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.