Destination Anywhere

Shannon supplied the recipe for this week, and I loved it! It's vegetarian, but so complex in tastes and textures you don't miss the meat. I made some changes--added green beans and zucchini, used a can of chopped tomato with green chlili instead of fresh tomato; substituted spinach for the chard, and added a squirt of lime juice at the end.

Squash, Pepper, Chard, and Corn Stew

1 medium onion, diced
3 – 5 garlic cloves, chopped
¾ pound banana squash, peeled and cut into pieces about ½ inch wide (I used butternut, about 3 cups)
2 – 3 T olive oil (I used less)
1 t. Greek oregano
1 green pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
(I added 2 cubed zucchini and a cup diced green beans)
1 T. flour
2 T. chile powder
½ t. cumin
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. broth of choice
3 – 4 c. tomatoes, diced (I used a can of tomatoes)
½ bunch chard, blanched and cut into ribbons with the tougher stems cut away (I subbed spinach, added with the corn)
1 ½ c. frozen corn
¾ c. sour cream or yogurt to taste
Chopped cilantro and green onions for garnish

Very lightly sauté the onion, garlic and squash in oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot, then add oregano, red and green peppers, flour, chile powder and cumin. Stir together and cook for a minute or two longer.

Add wine, broth, and tomatoes, then cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add chard and corn, then cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

Taste for seasoning. If stew is too liquid, pour off liquid into a small saucepan and boil down until reduced and richly flavored.

Just before serving, stir in sour cream or yogurt. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and green onions.