The end of February is a time when I start getting really tired of root vegetables. I’m longing for heirloom tomatoes and berries and fresh leafy greens. But this delicious bowl of spicy braised potatoes and squash brightens up gloomy February a little bit and makes me less resentful toward the tubers. As I try to eat more seasonally and more locally, I’m learning just how much more creative you have to be when it’s winter in New England. I generally roast root vegetables, but I started getting a bit bored with roasted potatoes, so I thought I’d try my hand at braising. And I am glad I did. This was fast and easy, and it could be a very versatile dinner: Different seasonings could make this a totally different meal. But these flavorings were spot on for cold, wet, windy winter.
Braising the vegetables took less time than roasting, which is a huge bonus these days, when I barely have time to eat between homework and job applications and work. You could really use any combination of root vegetables here: if you don’t like squash, leave it out. I used one small Yukon Gold potato, one small sweet potato, and about a cup of chopped butternut squash, and I love the colors and the slightly sweet flavor.
I used vegetable stock for this, but I imagine it could taste pretty great with chicken or beef stock. I actually used vegetable stock concentrate, from Trader Joe’s, because they didn’t have proper vegetable stock, and I’m not sure how I feel about the stuff. It’s convenient, because you can make as much or as little as you want and don’t have to worry about the rest of it going bad. But it kind of weirds me out. I’ve said it before and I should probably just do it already, but I should really be making my own vegetable stock.
The seasonings in this are what really make it amazing: I used smoked paprika, Harissa, a French Moroccan seasoning I love, and a bit of lemon pepper. Olives and sun-dried tomatoes gave it a little burst of flavor, and chopped almonds added some crunch. I ate these vegetables over egg noodles, but I get it would be great with couscous, pearl pasta, or orzo.
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