Warm Stew for a Cold Day

It's getting cold here. Ice is forming on the ponds. I took the camera outside with me to cut the kale for a nice warming dinner. My hands were hurting by the time I got back in the house. This kale might be the last thing I harvest directly from the garden. Other garden ingredients for my stew are already in the basement or in the freezer.

I chose West African Groundnut Stew from Vegetarian Soup Cuisine by Jay Solomon. What follows has a few changes from the original recipe.

West African Groundnut Stew

1 T oil
1 med. onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 c. water
2 c. tomato juice
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes
2 c. diced butternut squash
1 T dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 c chunky peanut butter
4 c, shredded kale, stems removed


In a large saucepan heat the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and cayenne. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the water, tomato juice, tomatoes, squash, and seasonings. Cook for 25 minutes over med-low heat , stirring occasionally until the squash is tender.

Aggressively stir in the peanut butter. Stir in the kale and return to a gentle simmer. Remove the stew from the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped peanuts. Serves 6.

It's too bad you can't smell the aroma coming from the kitchen!