Winter Squash, Kale & Lentil Stew

This soup was inspired by our recent seed order for the upcoming farm season. We were drooling over the seed catalog pages while we were flipping through the winter squash section. We had such a successful yield last year and I'm really looking forward to growing more varieties to see what else will produce well for us. This soup highlights one of my favorite varieties Red Kuri but any sweet winter squash variety will work well here. Try butternut, delicata, pumpkin, blue hubbard, acorn, or whatever is available to you. The sweet squash pairs really well with the subtle bite from the kale and the freshness of the herbs. We're still eating our way through squash storing in the barn but it's exciting to think about the different varieties we'll be introducing this year. Tumbleweed Farm is hopefully going to have our most successful farming season in 2015. Fingers and toes have never been crossed so hard! This stew is honestly one of the most comforting meals I've had all winter. It warms you from the inside out and is perfect on a dark January evening. I highly recommend dunking giant slices of rustic bread into the soup for a little added treat. We paired our stew with a glass of Syncline Winery's Subduction Red which took this simple weeknight dinner over the top. This soup makes fantastic leftovers which can easily be reheated for lunches or quick dinners all week long. I hope wherever this post finds you that you all are warm, cozy and ready to eat a nourishing meal with someone you love. Bon appétit!

Winter Squash, Kale & Lentil Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
  • 1 small leek, diced (white and light green parts only)
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 medium-sized winter squash such as butternut, red kuri, acorn etc. Peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Roughly 2 cups.
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme OR 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano OR 1 teaspoon dried
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/4 cup french green lentils
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6-8 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. In a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring often until beginning to soften. About 8 minutes. Add the garlic, winter squash, herbs and tiny pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. About 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock. Add 6 cups of stock first and if need be add additional stock or water if the soup needs to be thinned. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked and the squash is tender. About 20-25 minutes. Stir in the kale and season with salt and pepper. Let the soup cool a bit and taste test. Adjust seasonings if need be.
  3. Serve warm with rustic bread and a glass of your favorite wine.

Notes

* Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Taste test as you go. *Cooking times will vary from kitchen to kitchen and cook to cook.

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