BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PEANUT CHILI WITH QUINOA

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Stews and soups made with peanuts are staples of African cuisines. This stick-to-your-ribs African-style vegetable chili is aromatic and boldly flavored with coconut milk, garlic, and ginger. It gets its silky body from a combination of blended dry-roasted salted peanuts and squash, which we roasted with chopped onions until both the squash and the onions started to char around the edges, giving the dish an incredible backbone of flavor. Pureeing a portion of the roasted vegetables with the peanuts created a rich, smooth base. We sautéed sweet bell pepper and spicy jalapeño and briefly bloomed the warm spices before adding the liquid. A combination of diced tomatoes and coconut milk made a creamy but bright broth, and nutty quinoa added heartiness and textural interest. If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure whether it’s washed), be sure to rinse it before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin). Serve with hot sauce.

SERVES: 6

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper
• 5 cups water, plus extra as needed
• ¾ cup dry-roasted salted peanuts, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 cup prewashed white quinoa
• ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, onions, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl to coat. Arrange vegetables in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through roasting.
2. Process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in remaining 3 cups water, tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, and quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in pureed vegetable mixture and remaining roasted vegetables and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts.