Pumpkin stew with chillies, spices and ground nuts (Legumbres en pipian)

We generally think of stews as a European tradition, but South American cuisine also features hearty, slow-braised, and visually appealing stews. In Mexico, the combination of slow-cooked meats and beans, complemented by a myriad of complex spices, makes these stews divine.

This is a hearty winter vegetarian stew that is packed with flavour. The stew is without beans, which makes it lighter than the hearty chillies from the region. The mushrooms are slow-cooked, and the soft pumpkin concentrates and absorbs the earthy flavours. The pasilla chillies add a smoky flavour with mild heat. The spices finish the dish with a complex flavour profile that is dampened by the cheese. You can serve this dish as a stew with soft tortillas, but it will work well as a topping for nachos or tacos.

Deborah Madison was one of the first chefs to embrace the farm-to-table movement when she opened her restaurant Greens, one that I have dined at a few times. Her cookbooks are lovely, and this one, in particular, is amazing. Simple recipes that are loaded with flavour. Like me, you should get all her cookbooks; each is a masterpiece!

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons oregano, Mexican preferred

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

20 almonds

2-3 pasilla chillies

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups yellow pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

Salt, to taste

4 cups water

4 tomatoes, puréed smooth

1 cup cauliflower broken into small florets

1 cup hominy or corn kernels, frozen is okay

1/2 cup peas, frozen is okay

2 tablespoons cilantro, minced + for garnish

To serve:

Sour cream

Grated cheddar or Oaxaca cheese

Soft tortillas, corn or flour

Toast the individual spices—cumin, oregano, sesame seeds, and almonds—until each is lightly toasted and aromatic. Press down on the pasilla chillies firmly until you see the first whisp of smoke. Cool completely. Add all of them to a spice blender and blitz until very smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot, add onions and garlic, and sauté till the onions are soft and translucent. Add the pumpkins, mushrooms, and salt, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Add the spice paste and mix it well.

Turn the heat to medium, add the water and tomatoes, and mix well. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. By this time, the pumpkin should be soft and tender. Add the cauliflower, mix in, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Add the corn and peas, mix well, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the peas are tender. The pumpkin should be soft, and the cauliflower should be blanched but still have a crunch, with a taste for salt and spice. Mix in the cilantro.

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and with all the accompaniments.