Backyard Gigante Beans and Butternut Squash
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 327 calorie
- Total Fat
- 8 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 1 grams
- Cholesterol
- 0 milligrams
- Sodium
- 194 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 58 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 14 grams
- Protein
- 12 grams
- Sugar
- 14 grams
- Total: 14 hr 25 min (includes soaking time)
- Active: 1 hr 25 min
Ingredients
1 cup gigante beans
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
Pinch red chile flakes
Salt
1/2 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
Olive oil, for drizzling
Freshly ground black pepper
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped papalo or cilantro
Squash blossoms, for garnish, optional
Directions
- Place the gigante beans in a saucepan and cover with water. Soak overnight.
- The next day, add to the beans the bay leaves, garlic, red chile flakes and some salt. Put the saucepan over medium-high heat and cook for 1 hour, then drain and remove the bay leaves.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place two-thirds of the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, and put into the oven. Roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- To a food processor, add the celery, carrots, onions and remaining butternut squash. Process until the vegetables are uniform in shape.
- Put a saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil to coat. Once heated, add the processed sofrito and season with salt and pepper. Saute until caramelized, 30 minutes, adding more oil if necessary.
- To the saucepan of beans, add the roasted squash, sofrito, tomatoes, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, lime juice and papalo. Stir to combine and taste. Season if necessary.
- Serve garnished with squash blossoms, if desired and if they are available!
Cook’s Note
Papalo is a delicious herb that tastes like cilantro with a flavor that can be up to 3 times as strong. I have a beautiful papalo plant in my garden, but if you can't find it, substitute the same amount of cilantro, adding a little more for a stronger effect if desired.