Twice a year I go to conferences as part of my graduate studies and every time I’m scheduled to leave at least one person will give my husband sorrowful looks. “Poor you!”, they exclaim, patting him on the shoulder, “What are you going to eat while Ari’s gone? Has she been cooking meals and putting them in the freezer for you?” I think it’s sweet of them to care but I also think it’s funny, because the truth is that my husband is probably a better cook than me. Sure he may be an unassuming businessman by day, but at home he has the culinary prowess of a kitchen superhero. It’s a hidden talent that, sadly, has no place on a business resume!
Some folks are surprised since I’m the one who has a foodblog, but it’s true. I may have my husband beat in the baking and desserts department, yet he’s my superior by far when it comes to soups/stews and breakfast. We’re about equal when it comes to savory dishes, but while I create chilis, pastas and stratas at home, he produces the same meals while also controlling at least twelve teenagers. No, we do not have an unusually large brood of children. Rather, my husband teaches a cooking class for teens - something I could never, ever do and that takes an uncanny amount of humor and patience.
So as I finish packing for a week-long trip I thought I’d honor my hubby’s unrecognized skills by sharing a recipe for one of his favorite stews. This is the sort of meal he makes on Sunday afternoons (as he did today) then takes to work for lunches throughout the week. It’s a one-pot dish with rich flavor, gorgeous colors and all the warm, filling qualities you want in your mid-day meal. I hope you enjoy it and though I’ll be away I’ll still be checking email, so I’m curious: what are your hidden talents?
// Edit: Katie reminds me that I forgot to share my hidden talents, which include making digital artwork & disco dancing. I love disco dancing! Someday I hope to dance just like this - and you better believe I’ve been practicing. 
Don’t forget about the August book giveaway! You can find out more about this new, monthly event by clicking on the photo to the left or by clicking here.
Butternut Squash Stew with Rosemary and Tomatoes
Adapted from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop. Original recipe can be found here.
Ingredients: Makes 4-5 main course servings
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- Salt
- 5 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice (about 3 1/2 cups) *See notes.
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dry ground rosemary
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 small orange
- 1/4 cup premium orange juice
- Rosemary foccacia
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, squash, tomatoes, Parmesan rind, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover, add the orange zest and juice, and continue to simmer until the stew thickens, about 15 minutes.
To serve, remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Stir the stew, adding salt and pepper to taste. Place a slice of focaccia in each bowl, ladle the stew into the bowls, and serve. Alternatively, you can serve the focaccia on the side.
* How to peel a butternut squash: With a sharp knife, chop off the bottom and top of the squash, then split it vertically down the middle. Remove the seeds with a spoon, then peel each half by placing it flat on a cutting board, pressing down, and using a regular vegetable peeler.
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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 17th, 2008 by Ariela and is filed under Main Dishes, Soups and Stews, Work Lunches. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
54 Comments.
Yum! I’ll have one big bowl, please
My hidden talent…?…I like interior design and I LOVE to ride my bike. I also think I would make a decent fashion designer. What about you?
Katie’s last blog post -> My First Day (The Raw Vegan Way)
Your husband’s soup recipe sounds incredible!!
My hidden talent?? I can breakdance and do the robot dance, flawlessly
VeggieGirl’s last blog post -> VeggieGirl - Chicago-Style: Part III
This could not have come at a better time! I have a lone butternut squash waiting to be used, and I have to make a trip to the store tonight anyway so I’ve been trying to think of what to make with it. Thanks!
Kelly’s last blog post -> The Best Makeover Site Eva.
Wow! I love the look of the bowl of stew. It looks just like what I need during lunch to give me the extra boost of energy to help me make it thru the rest of the day.
A hidden talent? Well, I have been fairly successful in growing several Bonsai plants from a small cutting. It’s always a work in progress
Great post, Ari!!! I would love to come to your house for a week–all the great food might make me never want to leave!!! As for your hubby’s teaching a cooking class for teens, BRAVO for him! Strong man indeed.
My hidden talents: I sing, I dance, I paint, digital artwork, and I am ridiculously flexible.
Andi’s last blog post -> The Sunday Salon - Lazy Bones Contemplates Author Biographies
Mmm this looks tasty, I think it would make a good autumn meal.
My hidden talent is hula hooping, although I don’t have one so I don’t really practice. I won a contest once at a bar mitzvah when I was much younger and almost won another when I worked at camp but another counselor who was still in high school and a cheerleader won. Darn. Maybe for my birthday this year I’ll go out and buy myself a hula hoop!
Oh my. Butternut squash has got to be one of my favorite things to eat in the entire world. I’m bookmarking this immediately. I am looking forward to eating this on a chilly night, hopefully sometime soon. Thanks!
Sarah’s last blog post -> Zucchini Choclate Chip Cookies
My husband is a culinary superhero too…it’s nice isn’t it?
My hidden talents….I sing, I can write, I can teach myself to do most things I’d like to learn….
Have a great trip!
Wow, seems like a nice hearty stew.
My hidden talents…with the way i am, I can’t keep anything hidden, let alone a talent!
If its hidden, then its hidden so well that i still haven’t found the hiding place!
Hope you have a great time.
P.S. Thinking of cooking classes for teens…I’m still feeling the chill run up my spine!!
Specs’s last blog post -> To laugh or not to laugh, that is the question…
The colors in that stew are incredible, and look forward to making this in the fall. I love the cannelloni beans and the cheese rind addition, sounds delicious!
Marie’s last blog post -> Grab A Cannoli, And Come Share My Blogoversary with me!! (And a Giveaway)
Must. Have. This. Stew. Wow - it’s about 90 degrees in my office as I write this (I made a pizza tonight and the whole house hotted right up) and I STILL want a steaming bowl of this! Mmmm. Thanks for sharing, Ari!
Sandy S’s last blog post -> Savory Avocado Salad
Is being lucky a talent? Because I somehow am just super lucky. I win contests on the radio, I have won every bet I have made with coworkers, and good things seem to naturally happen to me.
Other talents that aren’t instantly obvious: singing, piano, many other artistic endeavors, knowing EXACTLY how long something will take me to do or how long it will take me to get somewhere, being superbly klutzy (have to make up for being lucky somehow), and being so organized that I have a system for everything I do.
Angie’s last blog post -> Whidbey Island
That colorful stew looks wonderful! Flavorful and appetizing! I could eat a bowl of it now, since the weather here is quite autumnal and fresh…
Cheers,
Rosa
That stew looks delicious.
My hidden talent is that I can tell when someone on TV is pregnant and the producers are trying to hide it. My husband laughs every time I say, “I think she is pregnant”, and then we find out later that she really was.
anna’s last blog post -> 8/17/08 - Day 231
I love this sort of stew! Butternut squash is a winter fave of mine so I’ll hang on to your talented hubby’s recipe!
Hidden talent? I can sing karaoke pretty well
I’m just home from a very wet holiday in our Lake District to find the weather here is just as bad in the south of England….
feels very autumnal and this recipe is just perfect for how I want to eat today!
Thanks for sharing…..
xx
ooh, that looks lovely and warming Ari! It’s driving rain here in London ever though it is supposedly summer! As for my hidden talents, I’m not sure - they must be very well hidden that’s all I can say!
Helen’s last blog post -> Covent Garden Night Market
The stew looks and sounds delicious.
My hidden talents are speed reader, closet organizer (and other rooms too!) and meal planner.
Jan » Sure is! Especially since you can switch dinner duty during the week.
Katie » A fashion designer? That is an awesome hidden talent! And thank you for reminding me to post my own hidden talents.
VeggieGirl » I would love to see that! Robot dancing rocks. And break dancing? Whoo whee.
Kelly » You’re welcome!
RuthL » That’s really cool. Bonsai plants are gorgeous.
Andi » You are one multitalented woman! I am not ridiculously flexible but I wish I were so I could do those über complicated yoga moves.
Wow, that looks really good. I think I’ll add this to the list of things to make in the coming months.
That looks amazing, and I have a home grown butternut squash on my counter, waiting for me to eat it! I think I have found the recipe. Many thanks to your guy, too.
Rachel’s last blog post -> THE CAKE
heck, i don’t have any hidden talents–if i’m good at something, i let it be known!
seriously though, this is a fantastically enticing stew. i’d like some with a huge hunk of bread, please.
grace’s last blog post -> gimme s’more or gimme…
Sounds like you and your husband have the prefect balance in the kitchen! LOVE butternut squash anything! Um, I’m still looking for my hidden talent!!
Mmmm, that sound delicious! And my office is always cold, so it would be just the thing to help me regain some feeling in my fingers at lunch time!
Lucky girl! A hubbie who cooks! I hope you put his skills to use after a long day.
My hidden talent would be that I’m a make-up artist disguised as the girl wears minimal-if-any on an average day. I love to get all dolled up for a big night out though!
Culinarywannabe’s last blog post -> Ina’s Messy-as-all-get-out Pecan Squares
This stew sounds lovely, I love the addition of the cheese rind. I can’t wait for the the squashes to come in at the farmer’s market. My husband is the chef in our home, so I love finding new recipes for him to try. I am so glad I found your blog, Such wonderful things!
Amanda Haynes’s last blog post -> Dirties Husband Ever?
Hey! Thanks for stopping by my blog- shaved ice is delicious! As for my hidden talent, I’m a black-and-white photographer.
Sonia Begonia’s last blog post -> Cooking from the Garden
Oooh that looks delicious! I’m definitely bookmarking the recipe to make it in the fall!
that looks wonderful. though i might need to wait for cooler weather to make it. just another reason to “put up” some tomatoes. hope your conference went well.
This recipe makes me look forward to fall. I associate all hard shelled squash with fall and winter and comfort food. Mmmmm.
Hidden talent? I really can’t think of anything.
Enjoy your time off.
PinkDevora’s last blog post -> Cooking for the last days of Passover
How wonderful that your husband is a great cook!
Hidden talents? I have a phenomenal memory for many things, I assimilate well into different cultures, I’m a baby whisperer (babies ad little kids love me), and I veganize recipes/meal descriptions adroitly in my mind. Non-hidden talents that might not be evident through my blog are singing, organization, listening and dispensing advice. I’m hoping to someday add guitar playing to my list of non-hidden talents!
Vegyogini’s last blog post -> Changing of the Guard
My husband is a great cook, too. We both cook so differently - I’m a recipe girl while he likes to throw things together - so it works out perfectly! I’m trying to think of any hidden talents I have, and I’m having a hard time!
Deborah’s last blog post -> Recipe Rewind - Chocolate Wave Zucchini Bread
Butternut squash is just so darn good!
Hidden talents… that’s a tough one, because I think that I’m rather an open book. One thing - I seem to always be the one who is there during an emergency/crisis. Lost children, the elderly, confused tourists, people who really “do” need a dollar to buy something to eat, etc, they always find me, but I don’t know why. I must have an invisible sign over my head or something…
Shellyfish’s last blog post -> Raw Tuesdays & Blogroll Updates
mmmm, that looks gorgeous! I am definitely making that this weekend. We’re still in winter down here, and that will be great to fill me up at lunch through the working week!
Hidden talents? I’m not sure that I especially have any - if there were any talents that would be considered hidden, it would be due to my reticence to advertise them.
This soup looks lovely! With the cool(er) temperatures we’ve been having here, it’s not completely incongruous to consider such a recipe for a meal option. Thank you for sharing!
I love orange colored soups! Doesn’t matter what’s in it, it’s always delicious. My hidden talents? I would have to say dancing (not bad for a 6′3 goofy white guy) and/or I’m kickass at comebacks.
Nick’s last blog post -> Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Melanie » Darn those cheerleaders with their hula hoops!
Angie » Being lucky definitely counts as a talent! And one I wish I had too, lol.
anna » How funny!
I didn’t know that about your husband! It sounds like he’ll get along just fine while you are gone.
that’s it. i’m making that this weekend.
lily’s last blog post -> Text msg conversation during a pedicure …
I’ve just spent some great time catching up on your blog - I’ve missed it! And have you ever been busy! WOW! The last recipe posted is the one I’m going to make first - we’re having a bit of fall-like weather so it sounds perfect and I love squash! I also love the book contest idea! It’s a good one! Thanks Ari!
Nan Slaughter’s last blog post -> Halloween Apron Giveaway…
That stew looks delicious! My hidden talent is that I can sing and do Chinese calligraphy.
Wow this looks great! Perfect for those cold fall days.
looks yummy and so colorful…
draven’s last blog post -> Picture post
I LOVE soups and stews, and this adoration is only slightly abated by the hot summer months. Butternut squash is one of my favorite soup bases, and I particularly like how it pairs with fresh thyme and maple. I haven’t tried a variation like this before, so I’m tucking this one away in my memory for later. I particularly like the pairing with foccacia.
hope the conference went well.
This sounds like a very healthy recipe, however I am lactose intolerant could I omit the cheese in this recipe?
Great recipe, I’m having Rosemary in my garden. And this recipe sounds more than interesting to me.
Azrael (Nadine)’s last blog post -> 01.08.2008 Thema: Geniale Neuheiten!g
I am not a big fan of stews, but I do love butternut squash soup - I always make sure that my pitiful larder has a few of those in stock!
Hidden talents? I am a far better baker than I am a cook, even though I don’t even bake that much - too tasty for my thighs!!