When I work as a private chef for clients I leave my daughter with a babysitter and always try to cook a big meal for them in advance. Lately I’ve been feeling guilty that every single one of those meals somehow included pasta. Most of us warm blooded humans love a big bowl of carbs, but as a chef I was worried there wasn’t enough repetition in my babysitter meals (this isn’t a problem a normal person would have – just an occupational hazard for me).
Recently, honeynut squash appeared in my CSA share. Honeynuts are truly adorable little squash that are smaller than butternuts in size and more golden in color. They look like they belong in a garden you’d see in The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. A fairly new breed of squash, honeynuts have popped up more in local farmers markets over the last couple of years. And if you haven’t already guessed, the flavor is much like its name – nutty and sweet.
The squash were the perfect opportunity to stray from pasta. Years ago I saw a recipe for a beef stew that included butternut squash along with the traditional carrots, celery and onions. I decided to simplify things and instead make a beef stew with just squash and flavor it with a gremolata topping for serving. Gremolata, a mixture of fresh chopped herbs, lemon zest and raw garlic, “brighten” the flavor of the stew.
Stews continue to thicken and the flavors improve as they sit so it’s a great make-ahead meal for entertaining or when the kids have a sitter. Alternatively, you can use a 2 pound butternut squash if you can’t find honeynut.
Beef and Honeynut Squash Stew with Gremolata
serves 4
Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck eye, cut into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef or chicken stock
2 honeynut squash (about 3/4 pound, each) trimmed, peeled, seeds removed and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 300 F.
Pat beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Brown beef in two batches, turning until browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Set beef aside.
Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot along with the onions, season with 2 large pinches of salt and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef and red wine and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until wine is reduced by half.
Add stock and squash and bring liquid to a boil. Place lid on the pot and cook stew in the oven until beef is very tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you see fit. Skim and discard any fat that’s pooled to the top of the stew with a spoon.
Just before serving, combine rosemary, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl. Serve beef stew topped with the rosemary, garlic and lemon gremolata.
This recipe is partnered with Local Roots NYC, a small, mission-driven business here to serve fellow New Yorkers and regional growers. Click here to join!