Brr.....who told winter it could arrive already? It has been really brisk and chilly the past few days! On the bright side, this is perfect weather for soups and stews.
I saw this recipe in the food section of the Philadelphia Inquirer and was intrigued by the marriage of butternut squash and Moroccan spices. Usually I puree winter squashes for a creamy soup (as I mentioned in my last blog post about Acorn Squash Soup), but this recipe calls for dicing them into chunks and serving over fluffy, crunchy quinoa, which adds protein and texture and serves as a nice contrast to the stewed vegetables.
I did change up the recipe a little by substituting zucchini for carrot, as I thought it would complement the golden color of the butternut squash. I also used smoked paprika instead of regular paprika to give it some extra kick, and some mild salsa instead of canned tomatoes. And I utilized my wonderful crock pot to allow the stew to simmer gently all day, filling the house with its savory aroma. It was delicious for dinner alongside a salad and bread, but it tasted even richer the next day as the flavors had a chance to thoroughly deepen and blend. This was also tasty over some nutty basmati brown rice.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped crystalized ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup mild salsa (I used Green Mountain Gringo brand)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
1 zucchini, cut into large dice
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; saute until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 6 ingredients.
2. Transfer mixture to crock pot and add broth, salsa, lemon juice, squash and zucchini. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4-5 hours until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, saute quinoa in a saucepan with in a little olive oil for a minute or two, stirring often. Add broth and bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the broth is abs
4. Ladle stew over quinoa and top with cilantro.
- Adapted from My Daughter's Kitchen by Maureen Fitzgerald on Philly.com
Per serving (based on 6): 253 calories, 9 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams sugar, 8 grams fat, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 442 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/mydaughter/-Morrocan-Stew-with-Butternut-Squash-Carrots-and-Quinoa.html#256LhYzUgqDDre36.99
0 Comments