Mid-summer Ratatoulli Stew

Some of the fun of having a CSA is trying new vegetables.  

This is a delicata squash.  

Its considered a winter squash but is more related to summer squash.  Delicata is also known as a peanut squash or a sweet potato squash.  It is slightly sweet and the skin is edible.  They can be cook similarly to a butternut or acorn squash.  

This week I received some really great vegetables but was daunted with so many other things to get done I didnt have the time or the energy to look up recipes for each thing.  So, I threw it into a one pot stew (or as a certain perky show host would call it a "stoup".

Mid-Summer Ratatouille Stew

4 slices of bacon or prosciutto (if vegetarian sub 3 tbs margarine)

1 medium onion

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup wine

2 medium delicata squash

3 medium beets

2 medium yellow squash

2 medium tomatoes

2 medium bell peppers 

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 cup corn starch

** cut all veg to similar bite size

• In stock pot or dutch oven, saute bacon/prociutto/marg, onion and garlic until onion is translucent
• Deglaze the pot using wine.  (deglazing is simply using a liquid to loosen up the yum from the bottom of the pot)
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• Add 3 cups of vegetable stock and bring to boil.  
• Add delicata squash, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add remaining vegetables.  Simmer 30 minutes.
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• Remove 1 cup of liquid from the pot and whisk with cornstarch.  Pour starch mixture back into the pot.  Bring back up to the boil then simmer for 10 more minutes.  
• Test tenderness of vegetables with a fork.  If the vegetable slide off the fork then its finished.  

Dress with toast and a sprinkle of Asiago or a dollop of sour cream/greek yogurt.

I will freely admit that I am not a fan of chunky soups.  I generally not a fan of most soups with exception of chicken noodle and matzo ball soup.  I hit my soup with an immersion blender, threw a little parm on top and I was even happier.