Peanut-Pumpkin Stew With Hominy Recipe

This hearty fall stew recipe is from ashleigh shanti, the chef behind benne on eagle, a james beard award-nominated restaurant in asheville, north carolina. Shanti has become one of the southern food worlds rising stars for her original takes on appalachian soul food. Here, roasted pumpkin combines with peanuts, garlic, ginger, paprika, cayenne pepper, and hominy giving the dish spicy, nutty flavor and plenty of texture. Shanti likes to cook with ingredients native to the region, including things that have been locally foraged, like wild nettle leaves, which she blanches before adding them to the stew. If you cant find edible nettle leaves locally (from a trusted source) baby spinach is a good substitute, and doesnt require blanching. When selecting a pumpkin, choose a medium-sized sugar or pie pumpkin, not the large variety used for jack olanterns. If pumpkins arent available, an equal amount of butternut squash can be used instead. Make pumpkin-peanut stew with hominy for a delicious and filling vegetarian dish that will warm your soul.