Ok, so I’m not sure if tree nut stew is actually a thing.  I do know groundnut soup is and that is where I got the idea for this recipe. 

I saw a recipe for groundnut soup, which used peanut butter as part of its ingredients, and I was intrigued because I had never heard of groundnut soup.  A little research and I learned that is it a staple in African cuisine and can be found in East Asia and Virginia.  Weird list, but interesting to discover.

Any Virginia readers attest to that?

Anyways, I love peanut butter and wanted to try this out immediately.  Only problem?  I’m off of peanut butter for awhile.  I know, I know.  Shocking for those of you who know me because I’m pretty sure at one point I was 50% peanut butter (the other 50% was probably sweet potatoes) but it’s true.  I’m trying to see how certain foods affect me and since I ate a lot ( A LOT) of peanut butter, I had to cut it out and see if it was causing any issues.

So where did that leave me when it came to groundnut soup?  Tree nuts. 

I’ve been making cashew butter lately, sort of as a replacement for peanut butter, but still trying not to go crazy with it.  I figured I could give it a go in my ground/tree nut soup experiment and let me tell you, it paid off.

It adds a wonderful toasty flavor (mostly because I dry roast my cashews) and it makes a wonderfully smooth and luscious stew.  Yes, I used the word luscious to describe soup. Deal with it.  Or pretend I’m a chef on Food Network.

Point of this whole story?  Get you some cashew butter and add it to your stew.  Or just wait for me to do it and share the recipe with you 😉

Tree Nut Stew 

• 1 carnival OR acorn squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 a head of cabbage, chopped into bite-size chunks (about 3-4 cups)
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (14 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Heat a little olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large stockpot.  Saute the onions and garlic until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the ginger and saute another 2 minutes.
2. Add the squash to the pot and stir.  Saute this for about 5 minutes and then add the cabbage.  Stir again and then cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid and add the tomatoes and broth.  Start with one cup and if the stew still looks fairly dry, add the second cup.
3. Stir everything together and bring the stew to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and add the seasonings.  Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the squash is soft.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the cashew butter.  Cover and cook for another 2 minutes and then stir one more time before serving.