Macbeth's Witches Stew

October 23, 2011

"Double,double toil, and trouble;/ Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." (Macbeth 4,1, 10-11); those were the famous words spoken by the three witches in Shakespeare's play Macbeth. This stew evokes the spirit of Halloween without the toil and trouble. You won't be finding "scale of dragon" or "tooth of wolf" in this brew, just good wholesome ingredients. This stew is flavored with roasted garlic, spicy sausage, and sweet and earthy squash. This is a cozy meal best enjoyed next to the warmth of a fire.

Witches Stew

Ingredients:

A good quality EVOO

1 head of garlic wrapped in tinfoil and drizzled with EVOO

2 small white sweet onions

small button mushrooms

1 pound of spicy chicken sausage

1 quart organic, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 quart whole milk

1/2 quart 2%% milk

1 handful of coarsely torn up basil

1/2 Palmful Merkén (or crushed red pepper, paprika,& chili powder)

1 acorn squash

1 butternut squash

4 small yukon gold potatoes (preferably from Maine)

Salt& Pepper

Directions:

Cut the acorn and butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and drizzle with EVOO. Stab the potatoes with a fork. Wrap the garlic in tinfoil and drizzle some EVOO inside. Roast your squash, potatoes, and garlic in the oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once it cools cut up the potatoes and squash into medium sized squares.

In a large stockpot under medium high heat, sauté onions, mushrooms, chicken sausage, basil, and merkén in EVOO for 10 minutes.

Turn heat down to medium and add your chicken broth and milk. Add the diced up potatoes, squash, and roasted garlic. Add more merkén, salt, pepper, and EVOO as desired.

Let all the flavors steep on low heat for an hour or until your home smells of the stew.

A perfect hearty meal for a cozy Friday night watching the leaves fall...