Three Sisters Stew

Serves 6

The three sisters—corn, squash and beans—merge into a delicious stew. The stew should be thick, but you may need to thin it slightly with vegetable stock or water. Recipe courtesy of Michelle Emond, a PhD student at Stanford University.

1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1 lb. medium-sized yellow summer squash, ¾-inch-thick slices
2 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch chunks
1 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup corn kernels, preferably fresh
2 16-oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño, and sauté until the onion is tender and translucent, for about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the thyme, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, over low heat for 15 to 25 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

4. Add the thyme leaves during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add the salt and pepper to taste, stirring them in well, and serve the stew warm.