Pumpkin Stew

Like a boss.

This recipe was a hella success. Yeah, that’s right. On the fly, I made up this recipe and it rocked the socks off my entire family. I feel like a rockstar.

Last Saturday night, my sisters and I had a girl’s night in. To counteract the exorbitant amounts of (dairy-free) ice cream, brownies, and peanut butter topping we planned to consume for dessert (it’s alright if you need a moment), I took all the vegetables I had lying around and went to work.

Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients (all are variable, except for the pumpkin, orzo and broth)

2 white onions

1 enormous zucchini

half a butternut squash

4 green tomatoes

2 small red tomatoes

1 large can of sweet peas

a 19 oz. can of pureed pumpkin

32 oz. of either vegetable broth or chicken broth (Use whatever you fancy. If you use vegi broth, this will be a vegan meal.)

half a pound of orzo (pasta shaped like rice)

olive oil (just a little at the beginning)

salt and pepper, to taste

herbs, to taste – I added basil, paprika, and a little rosemary

You’ll need one big pot, a large cutting board, a sharp knife, and a wooden spoon.

Mince both onions and throw them into your pot with a little bit of olive oil. Turn the heat on low. You’re not trying to cook the life out of these onions quite yet.

Peel and cube your zucchini. I like my pieces medium sized, maybe half an inch cubed. It’s always good to remember how your pieces will be eaten – with a soup spoon. Throw them into the pot with your awesome onions. Stir occasionally, so nothing burns.

Peel and cube your butternut squash. This big guy could take over the soup if you use too much, so watch out. Keep stirring the pot.

Cut up all your tomatoes and throw them in.

Pour your pureed pumpkin into the mix and immediately add half your choice broth. Feel free to turn the heat up to medium now. Oh, and stir much more frequently. It’s going to look strange until everything mixes in together.

Pour your peas into the mix. They may be little, but they’re important.

Stir in that half pound of orzo. Now, don’t use more than a half pound in here. This stuff expands like crazy. It will take over the soup if you’re not careful. That said, you have to add the entire half pound at once or it’ll cook in different stages. Add the rest of your choice broth after adding the orzo.

The stew is nearly finished once the orzo has plumped out. Waiting on the orzo will take about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to keep stirring the pot and monitoring the heat. You don’t want this to boil, but you also don’t want it to be stone cold.

Once the orzo is soft, add salt and pepper to taste. Add some basil, paprika, and rosemary, if you want it.

This lovely pumpkin stew warms any fall day by combining the taste of pumpkin with hearty broth, spices, and other fall vegetables. Enjoy this on a cold day.

Bon appétit!

McSass